And Then We Were Defeated
by liar
Summary: Hermione and Draco? He wants to marry her!? She hates him!? What about Ron? And Harry? [COMPLETED!! SEQUEL TO COME!]
1. Caught

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything but the plot. Please don't sue me, I can't afford to pay for a decent lawyer. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, English isn't my mother tongue, so there might be plenty of grammatical and lexical mistakes in the following chapter. If you like the story and if you want me to keep it going, then you can bother and correct them. At the moment I don't have a beta-reader and I can only rely on me, my ego and my dictionary.

Oh, yes, and please, be kind and review.  

**AND THEN WE WERE DEFEATED**

*******

**Chapter 1**

**CAUGHT**

Dark coldness surrounded her when she finally woke up and opened her eyes. Hermione's head ached and her whole body felt sore. What had happened? Where was she? Slowly she raised her hand and touched her forehead. She could smell blood. Her own blood, sticky and still warm. Eventually the pitch black darkness closed in on her and she was drowned in  restless unconsciousness. 

***

„Where did you take her to?" Lucius Malfoy asked in a smug voice.

„Right to the dungeons, Sir. She was still unconscious when we locked her up." his servant replied eagerly. 

„Well done." Lucius was pleased with the outcome of the last battle. „We still don't know what happened to the Potter boy and this Weasley. The mudblood bitch might come in handy. It's the Gryffindor pride, they won't want to let her die, they will try to rescue her  soon enough."  A content smirk spread over his face when he turned to inform his master. the Dark Lord,  of their latest victory.

Little did Lucius know that neither Ron nor Harry had a clue that Hermione had been caught by the Deatheaters. Both boys had gone into hiding as soon as it was obvious that this time the battle against Voldemort and his Deatheater army had been lost again.  The thought that Hermione could have been caught didn't even cross their minds. She was a powerful witch, who was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, and Ron as well as Harry believed she had just gone to another hideout and would contact them in a little while when she was sure it was safe to get in touch with them. Since Voldemort had been rising to his full strength this had happened more than once. Although Hermione and the others had tried their best to limit his powers he had somehow managed to take over the Ministry of Magic and now the whole wizarding world was in danger to be overpowered by the dark side. 

***

Hermione sighed and stirred as a hand brushed lightly over her cheek. Once more she was drawn back to reality, back to the cold dungeons where she was laying on the damp, freezing stone floor. 

"Wake up. Is Miss Hermione all right?" a hushed voice asked. 

Reluctantly Hermione opened her eyes and blinked. Her cell was now dimly lit by a torch burning in the far corner. She groaned as her eyes slowly adjusted to the light and finally tried to focus on the figure that was crouched next to her on the floor.

"Is Miss Hermione all right?" the person repeated the question. 

"Where am I?" Hermione's voice wavered and realisation dawned on her before she had even finished to ask her question. She had been caught. She was trapped. Her eyes widened in shock as she realised the whole extent of her situation.  Slowly she started to remember what had happened. She had faced a group of Deatheaters when suddenly a bolt of green light had hit her and knocked her out. 

"Malfoy Manor. They brought  Miss Hermione here a few hours ago. Dobby was afraid Miss Hermoine is injured badly, Dobby came in to make sure she lives."  

Hermione sensed the fear and worries that lingered in the little house elfe's words, but before she had the chance to say anything, they could hear a noise outside the door of her prison and with a soft pop Dobby and the torch vanished. For a moment the darkness closed in on Hermione, then the door creaked open and  a small ray of light fell on her body. 

***

Draco paced nervously up and down his room at the Manor. He knew that something was going on and he had the bad feeling that the Dark Lord's new plans would involve him. When he-who-must-not-be-named had started to take over, Draco hadn't been the least surprised. He had known that sooner or later the Dark Lord would rise again. What made him nervous was that during the last months so many major changes had occurred in his life that he had somehow lost himself in the track of events since his departure from Hogwarts. 

At first he had been proud when his father announced that he would be made a deatheater in the very night of the Dark Lord's return. And he had been full with pride when he had received the Dark Mark. He had been eager to fulfil his master's wishes and to make sure he was worthy to be a deatheater. 

Now his strength had worn of and he felt nothing but tired and disgusted of himself. He wasn't sure anymore that he wanted this life. A life which only consisted of distrust, fear and murder in his own family, in which he had to obey every order of Voldemort and his father. 

Draco Malfoy didn't want to take any more orders. He wished to decide for himself and he wanted to be in charge of his own life. If the Dark Lord or his father gave him another command he might not be able to stop himself from disobeying and this would certainly result in his execution or at least in a severe punishment.

If he wanted to stay alive he had either to think of a way to change his situation, to get rid of Voldemort and Lucius or he had to turn into a slave stripped of his own free will.

***

Hermione's eyes widened with shock and surprise as she recognised the figure leaning in the doorway, but it didn't take longer than a few seconds and hate and anger welled up in her. 

"You." her voice was drenched with revulsion and barely audible as she spit out this single word. 


	2. Do as you are told

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything but the plot. Please don't sue me, I can't afford to pay for a decent lawyer. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, English isn't my mother tongue, so there might be plenty of grammatical and lexical mistakes in the following chapter. If you like the story and if you want me to keep it going, then you can bother and correct them (just send me an email or post a review). At the moment I don't have a beta-reader and I can only rely on me, my ego and my dictionary. The story might also take twists and turns that you won't expect, but if you read carefully through the 4 books published at the moment, you might spot several hints that will help you understand why I wanted to make some slight changes in the way some characters behave. Just imagine the action takes place some time after book 5 or 6. I don't know yet if I will ever write something that might explain why Dumbledore appears to be on Voldemort's side or why Dobby is back to serve the Malfoys. Let's wait for book 5, then we will see…I also don't know what is going to happen next in my story. I rated it PG 13, it might as well be rated R for later chapters. And there is definitely going to be a romance…

Oh, and please be kind and review.  

**AND THEN WE WERE DEFEATED**

*******

**Chapter 2**

**Do as you are told **

Albus Dumbledore was quietly standing in the doorway and watched Hermione. Their gazes locked and for a split second Hermione thought she might find pity in his old eyes, but his stare was cold and empty. They had lost all kindness and the love and understanding that used to be in his look had completely vanished. 

"You should have known better than to rebel against Voldemort, Hermione." Dumbledore stated calmly. Slowly he entered the little room and went towards the now trembling girl. Hermione felt the urge to edge away. The sight of Dumbledore, the kind principal of Hogwarts she had admired since she had set food on the school ground, made her sick. He was a traitor. All the time Harry, Ron and Hermione had believed he was Voldemort's enemy. Now she knew better than that. 

Hermione didn't answer. "He isn't worth an answer," she thought with disgust and turned away, not being aware of Dumbledore raising his wand and muttering a spell, but suddenly she felt warmth spreading through her entire body and the pain that had bothered her since Dobby had woken her subsided. 

***

"Dobby! Where are you stupid little git of a house-elf" Draco yelled annoyed. "Dobby!"

A soft pop announced Dobby's immediate arrival. "Where have you been?! I told you to return as soon as you knew whom they had brought here!"

"Dobby is sorry; Master Draco." The little creature wailed and started to bang his had against the wardrobe. "Bad Dobby. Dobby must punish himself." 

Draco growled. "Stop it." He ordered with an annoyed sigh and then sat down in one of the squashy armchairs next to the fireplace in his room. "Now tell me what you found out."

"Dobby saw Hermione Granger, Sir." the house-elf felt guilty and had the instant urge to put his hands in boiling water. He hadn't been supposed to go near Hermione or even talk to her. 

"Granger." Draco thought. "We have finally got hold of this filthy mudblood." He smirked and laid back in his armchair. "Potter and the Weasel won't be too happy."  

"Dobby saw her bleeding, Master Draco. Hermione Granger is badly injured." Dobby dared to add. Cautiously he took a step back as if he expected his master to slap him any moment, but Draco wasn't the least interested in his servant. Anger displaying on his face he stood up and left the room. Dobby remained rooted to the spot and it took him several minutes until he eventually returned to the kitchen. At the moment there was nothing he could do for Hermione. He would have to wait patiently for an opportunity to get to her in the dungeons.  

***

Hermione was alone again. Dumbledore had healed her wounds and only her bloodstained clothes and the sweet copper smell that lingered around her body reminded her of the pain she had endured only minutes ago.  The dungeon was now dimly illuminated by some sort of magic light that seemed to seep through the ceiling. Hermione's clothes were torn and she shivered. It was icy cold and she had to sit on the rough stone floor. Silent tears started to spring up in her eyes and trailed down her dirty cheeks. She felt so lonely, so betrayed and she didn't know what had happened to Ron and Harry, she could only hope that they had managed to escape, that they hadn't died.

***

Draco was about to knock at the heavy oak doors that formed the entrance to his father's study when they swung open and a hooded figure rushed past him. 

"Draco," his father greeted him when he looked up from his desk. "What's the matter?" 

"Why didn't you tell me you had caught Granger?" 

"It's none of your business, son. Our Dark Lord has plans with the girl and as long as he doesn't want to inform you himself you mustn't interfere." Lucius replied calmly, but determined. 

"But…"

"Draco! Now go to your room." his father interrupted him warningly. Draco frowned, however, he didn't dare to utter another word knowing his father wouldn't hesitate to punish his own son. Instead he turned on his heels and briskly left the room. Once again he felt humiliated. His father didn't treat him any better than a servant. 

Back in his room Draco violently slammed the door shut. He was raging with hate and he needed to find an outlet for his feelings. Suddenly an evil grin spread on his face. He knew what he wanted to do and he would do it now. Swiftly he walked out of his room and headed straight to the dungeons.


	3. Resistance

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything but the plot. Please don't sue me, I can't afford to pay for a decent lawyer. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, English isn't my mother tongue, so there might be plenty of grammatical and lexical mistakes in the following chapter. If you like the story and if you want me to keep it going, then you can bother and correct them (just send me an email or post a review). At the moment I don't have a beta-reader and I can only rely on me, my ego and my dictionary. Oh, and please be kind and review.  

**AND THEN WE WERE DEFEATED**

*******

**Chapter 3**

**Resistance **

She simply couldn't stop crying. They were keeping her in the dungeons for several hours now. Having seen Dumbledore had made things even more difficult for her. Tears kept rolling down her cheeks and dropped on her robe mingling with the spots of dried blood. Her situation was desperate, it couldn't get any worse for her. Hermione sobbed and ran her fingers through her hair, a desperate and useless effort to regain control over her body and her feelings. Leaning back against the freezing wall Hermione gazed absorbed in her thoughts at the low ceiling. She wondered what Harry and Ron were doing at the moment. Would they try to rescue her if they were still alive? She had to be strong, not such a broken wreck if she wanted to survive. There had to be a way to get out of here. Maybe they would bring her some food then she might be able to grab a wand and hex those deatheaters to the moon and back. But then the tears welled up again in her eyes and she buried her head in her arms, crouched down even lower and cried more violently than ever before in her life. She didn't even notice the door to her cell opened and a handsome young man entered the room.

***

He hadn't seen her for months. Not even in one of the last battles he had come near her. Draco couldn't remember that he had seen her like this before, although he had often dreamed of her being in such a horrible state. If he hadn't known that the weeping bundle in front of him was Hermione Granger, Hogwarts top student considered by so many people to be the most gifted and talented mudblood witch that had ever attended the school for Witchcraft and Wizardry and Potter's ever so faithful mudblood sidekick, he wouldn't have believed it. He had expected her to be silent, to be stubborn and reserved like she used to be back in school. Yet, the sight she presented to him right now disgusted him more than anything. Actually he had intended to torture her, to make her scream with pain, he wanted to be the one who caused her to break down entirely, but the girl slumped down in his dungeons had already surrendered. 

Draco Malfoy starred at Hermione for several moments, then he went over to her and grabbing her robes he forced her to stand up. 

***

Hermione was petrified when she was suddenly pulled to her feet. She hadn't sensed anybody else inside her cell and instantly stopped crying to look at the man who fiercely pressed her back against the rough stonewall. Draco Malfoy. She recognized him at once, he had only slightly changed. Malfoy appeared to have grown a few inches and from the force with which he held her up she guessed that he was rather muscular. Obviously her archenemy from Hogwarts had come to finish her off. Fear showed in Hermione's eyes and she didn't dare to breath. 

"Granger." sneered the deatheater glaring at her and his voice sounding astonishing familiar. His grey eyes held something in them she couldn't quite define. He looked down at her torn robes, noticed her blood stained face and realized she must have been badly injured during the battle….or afterwards, but someone had obviously taken care of her wounds and healed them although some minor bruises were still visible. Usually he wouldn't have cared what his victims looked like, but with this mudblood it was different. He wanted to break her and therefore she needed to be strong, she had to be worthy of being his enemy.

As if reading his mind Hermione suddenly straightened up. She had nothing to lose anymore and she was quite sure that she would die sometime within the next days, but she certainly wouldn't give in to Draco Malfoy. She was a Gryffindor and her pride forbade her to capitulate to this Slytherin bastard. In a last attempt to regain at least some of her dignity she summoned up all the strength left inside her and spit right  in his face not knowing that she did just what he had hoped she would do.

Draco slowly wiped the spit away and looked at Hermione. He smirked, now he had what he wanted, he could see the glint of resistance in her eyes as he raised his hand and hit her hard across the face. 

***

A few hours later Draco was called to his father's study. He entered the room a second time today and he felt as nervous as he had been earlier this day. Being quite sure that the Dark Lord was with Lucius he expected them to inform him on their future plans and at the moment he dreaded the thought of having to obey their commands more than anything else.  

As he entered the study he could only see his father standing with the back to the fireplace. 

"You're late." Lucius stated and anticipated an apology, but his son remained silent. 

"Well, take a seat," the older man continued after a few moments, "the Dark Lord finally made up his plans about your future." 

Draco scowled and even refused to sit down In his opinion his future belonged to him, no one should take any decisions on his life but him.

"You are going to marry and to raise an appropriate heir for our Lord. Your future wife will be a successful student of Durmstrang." Draco couldn't believe what he was just told. He was thunderstruck and speechless. This was his worst nightmare ever. He was not even 18 and he should have to marry a total stranger to raise the Dark Lord's heir? "Ridiculous." was all he could think of. 

"You will meet the girl in three days. There is going to be an engagement party here in the Manor for the two of you where you're going to propose to her. "

Before his father could go on Draco left. He felt numb and empty as he ascended the stairs leading to the upper floor where his room was. There was absolutely no strength in his body anymore and his knees gave way as he staggered towards his bed. The young man wasn't angry or sad let alone happy. He was completely humiliated and confused as he collapsed onto his four-poster.  


	4. To stay alive

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or anything else that belongs to J.K. Rowling, but believe me, if I had enough money I would try to buy anything that's hers. 

Author's note: Well, thank you so much for the reviews! That really keeps me going and I'll try to post as many chapters as possible in the next two weeks. This is my first Draco/Hermione fanfic and believe me, I really work hard to make it worth reading. I'm also aware that there's not much action yet in the plot, but that is definitely going to change in the course of the story. 

Someone asked me whether this is a post Hogwarts story. Well, you know, it could be, but not necessarily. Just take it as you like it and keep reviewing. Boy, I really like those reviews. J

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 4**

**To Stay Alive**

The hand with which Hermione touched her face trembled. Draco must have used all his strength to beat her up. There were big dark blue bruises all over her body and there was definitely more blood on her robe now then before Malfoy's visit. Hermione groaned. Where to hell had she gotten herself into? She had tried to get some sleep during the past hours, but the thoughts that kept tormenting her mind wouldn't let her rest. She had to find a way to get out of this nightmare or she would be killed sooner or later that was for sure. Only a few hours ago she wouldn't have minded to be killed desperate and hopeless as she had been, but now she wanted to live. She would have to live if she wanted to take revenge and vengeance was all she could think of as her hand slowly wandered over her bruised lips and her swollen face. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to block out the pain, to think of something pleasant, but she couldn't. Yesterday something in her heart had turned cold and empty and today she wasn't the little innocent girl anymore that she used to be. 

***

Draco's room was filled with bright sunlight. He hadn't moved all night and hadn't even bothered to take off his robe. Dobby cautiously tripled over to his master's bed and shyly tucked on the sleeve of Draco's robe in order to wake him. 

"Master Draco," the house-elf urgently mumbled in a low voice, " Master Draco has to get up now. The Mistress wants to see Master Draco."  

The boy grunted as he turned around and didn't seem to take any notice of Dobby, he didn't even open his eyes. But the little elf didn't give up that easily. 

"Master Draco must not sleep now, the Mistress wants to see him because of the engagement party." 

All of a sudden Draco was brought back to earth. He had only half-heartedly listened to what Dobby had said, but as he heard the word "engagement" his eyes flew open and he was fully awake. The memories of the talk he had had with his father the night before flooded back into his mind together with all the anger, emptiness and humiliation that Lucius words had caused in him. He cursed and getting up he chased a horribly frightened Dobby out of his room. 

***

"Dobby!" Hermione exclaimed gladly when the little creature apparated with a soft popping noise in front of her. The house-elf looked at Hermione and his large eyes watered as he noticed the damage that had been done to her face. 

"Miss Hermione!" the little creature wailed and raced full speed towards the opposite wall and crashed into it. "Bad Dobby, very, very bad Dobby! But Miss Hermione!" he howled and started to bang his head with all his might at the jagged stones." 

"Dobby! Dobby stop it, please!" Hermione begged him softly. Obviously the house-elf hadn't been permitted to come to her and was now torn between his affection and pity for Hermione and his master's orders. He must have summoned all his courage to visit her. 

Sobbing Dobby turned to face her and slowly walked over to stand right in front of Hermione. The house-elf who had once been so attached to his self-made socks was clad in a white pillowcase with the Malfoy family crest clearly visible on it. For a moment Hermione didn't know what to say or do then Dobby quietly reached under his pillowcase and handed her an apple. 

"Dobby thought Miss Hermione is hungry." he murmured and with a soft plop he returned to the kitchens leaving Hermione alone in the damp dungeon where she lost in thought started to nibble at the fresh fruit. 

***

Angrily Draco banged the door to his room shut and tossed the little velvet box his mother had given him on his four-poster. He didn't want to marry only because this was Voldemort's plan for his life. He had to think of a way to get out of this mess, his hell of a life. Only two more days were left to think of a strategy to turn the situation to his advantage. He knew there was no chance to disobey, he had to marry some disgusting, abiding deatheater slut if he wanted to stay alive. 

He thought it over and over pacing around his room. After a while out of the blue an idea formed in his mind. At first this idea seemed to be ridiculous and he was about to dismiss it without taking it into account any further, but at the same time this brainwave appealed to him. Maybe he had finally found a way to go against his father and Voldemort without setting his own life at stake. His face lightened up and a smug grin formed on his lips as he allowed himself to take this plan into closer consideration. All he had to do now was to work it out properly. It least it would be worth a try.  


	5. The Proposition

Disclaimer: Hm, as I said so many times before...I don't own Harry. If I owned Harry, I wouldn't post on fanfiction.net, I would patiently wait for the release of my latest book and not spoil my wages by granting you free access to the story on the internet. 

Author's note: I'm not a native speaker and therefore can't avoid making mistakes. If they are really horrible or if I mix up words and meanings, please tell me. 

Thanks to those really nice people who bothered to review my story. Please, feel free to post as many reviews as you like, but don't forget that reviews drive me to my keyboard (literally!) and the more you post, the more chapters you get. Criticism is always welcome.  

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 5**

**The Proposition**

Draco picked up the little box he had tossed on his bed yesterday and that was now lying on his desk before leaving his room with a determined look on his face. He headed straight for the dungeons and to Hermione's cell. During the last 24 hours he had made the most important decision of his entire life. He had decided to offend the Dark Lord and his own family. Not because he had realized the wrongness of the deatheaters' goals in general, but because he no longer wanted to be a helpless puppet blindly following any command it receives. Now he would start to take his life in his own hands and if his plan worked, he would gain even more power than Voldemort himself.

It took only a short flick of his wand and the heavy oak door blocking the entrance to the girl's prison magically creaked open. Draco hesitated for a second not being sure if he did the right thing, if he really wanted to take the next step, a step without the possibility to return. Then a resolute glimmer returned into his eyes and he stepped inside the dimly illuminated room. 

***

Hermione raised her head as she could hear the door unlock and open. In the doorway nobody but the Goddamn bloody bastard Malfoy was standing. "All right, I'm in for another beating," she thought bitterly. Malfoy, however, only hesitantly moved inside, his face absorbed in thought. 

Slowly Hermione stood up preparing to dodge the punches she expected to be thrown at her any moment. This time she wouldn't let him beat her up, she would try everything to defend herself and even to hurt her attacker if she got the chance, but the blow she waited for never came.

Malfoy had stopped in the middle of her cell and didn't close in on her. He looked like someone who desperately wanted to say something really important, but couldn't make his mind sting together the thoughts to sentences and his mouth to utter the words he had to bring forward. Hermione smirked. Never ever in her life she had seen Draco Malfoy acting like this. 

"What's the matter, Malfoy? Suddenly afraid to touch a filthy mudblood like me?" she asked the last words spitting at him with utmost disgust.

A strange glint flickered in Draco's eyes and his expression changed back to his usual cold and unpredictable self. "Watch it, Granger. If you want to stay alive any longer than the next 5 minutes you better keep your mouth shut." Hermione's grin vanished instantly. What if she was in for something worse than a beating? Would Malfoy look like this if he had to announce her death? No, she was pretty sure that he wouldn't be serious then. He would enjoy killing her as much as she would like to see him die. 

"Listen," he continued "what about a little deal? I have a proposition for you."

"I'd never agree with any deal that involves you as a partner, Malfoy." Hermione cut in before he could go on and before she even had time to think.

The unreadable expression on Draco's face didn't change. 

"Now, Granger, you've got two options. One, you agree to whatever I suggest and I'll make sure you are going to leave this dungeon sound and safe. Two, you disagree and I let you rot in here giving you hell until I decide to kill you with a snap of my finger." Hermione stared in his icy grey eyes. There was no doubt that he was absolutely serious about the last part. 

"You see, " he carried on almost causally  "my father and the Dark Lord want me to marry in the near future and I think that you, Granger, would be a quite suitable bride."

Hermione's legs turned into jelly and wouldn't support her any longer, she had to sit down. "You're kidding, Malfoy." was all she could reply after a few minutes of complete silence. 

"Not at all." he answered pleased by the effect his words had had on her. This would be better than he had thought, he swallowed a triumphant grin. "I am here to save you. In return you agree to become my wife."

"Why me? Your father, let alone You-know-who would never dream of giving their consent to this marriage. I'm a mudblood. Filthy. Soiled. And you're a pureblood." her voice was full of sarcasm. "What's in for you if I ever should go completely nuts and become a  member of  the Malfoy family?"

"My reasons are none of your business. All you need to know are your options. Remember? Either you refuse to marry me meaning I leave you here to face death …"

"Yes, I choose this option." Hermione interrupted him once more with a sneer before he had a chance to finish his sentence.

"Don't be so eager. You would be dead in a day if I let my deatheaters lay hands on you. As  I said, I am here to rescue you as ridiculous as this sounds." Draco smirked, but his eyes still held a dangerous coldness.  "Take it or leave it. It's your choice, but maybe you should have some time to think things over before you make a hasty, thoughtless decision." 

With this Draco turned on his heels and walked out of the cell. The door locked and Hermione was alone again. She could still hear Malfoy's words echo in her mind. Since she had discovered that Dumbledore was on Voldemort's side she had thought nothing could surprise her anymore, but this proposal topped even that. She felt dizzy and faint, nevertheless she started to reflect on the options she had been presented. Malfoy wouldn't wait to long for her answer, now would he? 

But did she even have to think about her response? Wasn't it obvious what she was going to say and do? 


	6. Take it or leave it?

Disclaimer: Hm, as I said so many times before...I don't own Harry. If I owned Harry, I wouldn't post on fanfiction.net, I would patiently wait for the release of my next book and not spoil my income by granting you free access to the story on the internet. 

Author's note: Thanks to those really nice people who bothered to review the very first chapters of my story. Please, feel free to post as many reviews as you like, but don't forget that reviews drive me to my keyboard (literally!) and the more you post, the more chapters you get. Criticism is always welcome.  

I know you are waiting for a little bit more action. There'll be some in the next chapter, which will be longer than the others I have posted so far, I promise. However, as this is going to turn out as a really very long story I needed to elaborate on the basic plot, the characters and their inert struggles first.

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

Chapter 6 

**Take it or leave it?**

Draco heard the heavy oak door shut behind him and a little sigh escaped his lips. Proposing to the mudblood had so far been the most difficult and the weirdest part of his plan. He was pretty sure that everything would work out the way he wanted it to. A confident grin spreading on his face he made his way through the great halls of Malfoy Manor back upstairs to his room where he got rid of his clothes and flopped down on his bed. He didn't care the least that he had left his robes in a messy pile on the floor. As usual the house elves would clean up for him later. All he had to do now was waiting for Hermione's decision and she wouldn't dare turn down his proposal.

He had nearly dozed off into a dreamless sleep when he was woken by a soft popping noise announcing the arrival of a house elf. The elf stumbled away from his master's bed, his lower lip trembling with fear, because he realized he had evidently disturbed Draco. The boy's eyes narrowed with anger and he sat up focusing on the little creature. Dobby's whole body was now shaking and he stood routed to the spot, not daring to move an inch. He tried to apologize to his master, but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth, he was to terrified. 

"Don't even dare try to insult  me with your excuses, elf. Go punish yourself before I take care of a proper punishment myself." Draco said in a dangerously calm way. "No, wait." he added. "I've got another order for you. Go prepare the room next to mine. My fiancée is going to stay with us from tonight on,  so make sure there are suitable dress robes arranged for her. You may leave now." Dobby vanished, his pop almost sounding relieved. 

Draco lay back on his soft satin pillows and within seconds he wiped the unpleasant incident off his mind and it didn't take him long to fall asleep.

***

The study was warmed by a blazing, great fire in the fireplace, which was the only source of light, and a cosy warmth had spread in the otherwise barely illuminated room. In one of the squashy and extremely comfortable armchairs arranged around the fireside sat a small, meagre figure, its face hidden by a dark hood. Only two gleaming eyes were visible form time to time when he turned his head to gaze in the fire.

A deatheater entered, bowed and seated himself in another chair. Both sat facing each other and finally the hooded figure started to talk in a very low, hardly audible voice.

"And you are really sure that he's stupid enough not to notice anything?"

"Absolutely. Although I wouldn't call him stupid. In my opinion he is rather, well, naïve and perhaps even more than only predictable. His reaction was exactly the one we had expected." the other answered slightly smiling.

"All right. You take care of our next step then. Be careful not to spoil my plans, but stay in touch with me. The little brat is in for a rough awakening that's for sure."

The deatheater stood up, bowed again and then hurriedly left the study leaving the other behind.

Only a few minutes later someone knocked at the door and entered immediately without waiting for a reply. Lucius stormed eagerly into the room and headed towards his master to receive his latest orders for  his son's engagement and wedding. He hadn't been informed about the bride's identity yet, but he supposed that she was a well-educated pureblood from Durmstrang, who was as loyal towards the Dark Lord as he and Draco were themselves. Lucius Malfoy wouldn't even dare dream that his idea of a decent bride did neither go along with Draco's nor with Voldemort's. 

***

Hermione was lying on the floor having a silent fume. Since Malfoy had left she found herself in a certain state of distress mixed with confusion. She was perfectly aware that she sooner or later would have to make a decision, probably rather sooner than later, which was another cause of her irritability at the moment. What had gotten into Draco Malfoy to think of marrying her? She snorted. But obviously she didn't have much of a choice if she wanted to stay alive and, well, Hermione had definitely no intention of quitting life for a Malfoy…or anybody else in that case, even if this would mean she had to change her surname from Granger to Malfoy. But what would Harry and Ron think of her if they were still alive and found out about the marriage? And Sirius and Hagrid? They wouldn't think she had betrayed them, would they? More likely they would believe she was under the Imperius Course. However, somehow she had the feeling that agreeing to marry Malfoy was some kind of betrayal. Besides, she was sure that Malfoy had something in mind, she couldn't trust him. Usually he wouldn't falter to kill her unless he got an advantage out of it. What if all this was only a trap to get Harry and the others to the Manor in a desperate effort to rescue her? With some many deatheaters around they would certainly be killed in less than a second. Hermione buried her head in her hands and silent tears started flowing down her cheeks. 

The more she thought about the deal, the more confused she got. She couldn't make up her mind, because she didn't know what to do. Take it or leave it? The question appeared to be simple, nevertheless, to answer it seemed to be impossible for her. 

Hermione had to think of a way that would get her out of this mess. After all she was Hogwart's smartest student in more than a century. She needed to make a perfect plan and it was obvious that, as a first step, she had to get out of this dungeon. Then she would have to play for time until she could get a message to Harry. ****


	7. Deal? Deal!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. I own the plot of the following story, nothing more, nothing less.

Author's note: Maybe there'll be more action in the following chapter. I'm sorry that it took me so long to post it, but I wanted it to be a really long and good chapter. Have fun reading, enjoy yourself and please [*puppy eyes*] review.

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

*******

**Chapter 7**

**Deal?  - Deal!**

Hermione was waiting for Malfoy to return. After a restless and hard night she had finally made her decision and now she couldn't wait for her plan to come true. In only a few hours she would have escaped out of these dirty, freezing dungeons and the Manor. Everything was laid out in her mind, every single step she had to take and she was eager to get her it started. Her eyes glittered dangerously. What took that git so long she wondered? She had to hang on for nearly another hour until she could hear footsteps outside her cell and she turned to face the door which jolted open. 

There he was. 

"Better late than never." Hermione muttered under her breath and tried to stay cool not wanting him to know how excited and nervous she was. She didn't want to make a mistake, she had to show him she was sure of what she said and did in order to conceal her plans and weaknesses from him.

With a determined look set on her face she folded her arms in front of her chest and remained silent. 

"Well, Granger, you are surely glad to see me, aren't you?" Draco stated with a sneer. "Now, have you come to a conclusion?"

"Indeed, I have." Hermione answered ignoring his other remark. Draco raised an eyebrow. "And which option did you choose then exactly?"  The mudblood was proving far more stubborn than he had expected her to be. Actually he had been quite certain that she would fall on her knees and beg him to marry him as soon as he would enter her cell. Her calm and self-confident attitude mocked him. 

"At first, I'd like to fix a few conditions before I agree to a marriage with you, Malfoy." 

"I don't think you're in the position to demand conditions." 

"You see, I have been thinking about your proposition all night and I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't want to marry _me_ if there wasn't something in for you. You need me for something as well as I need you to get out of this dungeon and therefore I have the right to set up as many conditions as I feel like." she smirked. 

Draco stared at her, his eyes narrowed, and his voice sounded perilously when he said: "I'll make sure you don't have to stay in here any longer. That's all you get, Granger. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm not up for your little games. Now, make your choice. Take it or leave it." Hermione sensed immediately that she'd better give in for now. If she wanted a chance to escape, she had for once to submit to his wishes.

"I take it." the words were hollow and void, but Hermione couldn't help blushing, she felt humiliated.

"Then we've got a deal, mudblood." he replied. Draco noticed Hermione blushing turn an even deeper shade of red as a result of this insult and was pleased by the immediate effect. 

"Dobby!" he spat out the name and Dobby appeared in the dungeon instantly. 

"Yes, Master Draco?" the elf asked and shyly eyed Hermione.

"Take our guest to her room and make sure she has a bath, she smells disgustingly and get her new, decent robes. And Dobby, you may serve her, but she is not to leave her room, she is not supposed to be seen. Do you understand that?" 

"Dobby does as Master Draco wishes. Dobby will take care of everything."

Draco then turned and walked out of the cell leaving an angry Hermione who was burning with shame. Never ever in her life she had hated him or anybody else on this planet more than in that very minute.   

***

Dobby led Hermione through various narrow corridors and up several steep staircases until they finally reached a long hallway. The little house-elf tripped hurriedly in front of her and she had trouble keeping up with him, because she was so impressed by the expensive furniture and paintings that seemed to be all over the place, and of course because she tried to memorize every little detail of the Mansion. It might come in handy if she had to find her way out of this huge estate later.

Finally Dobby stopped in front of one of the massive oak doors that lined the hallway, opened it and the two of them stepped inside.

Hermione was taken aback by the sight of the room she had just entered. The walls were painted with a creamy dark blue and there was an enormous four-poster in  the middle of the room. A sweltering fire spread a cosy warmth and she had the urge to sit down in the cream-coloured armchair, which was next to a bookshelf and an impressive oak desk. "Wow." Was all she could think, she hadn't set eyes on so much luxury since the night she had had to flee from Hogwarts. Then she suddenly heard the door fall shut behind her. Dobby had disappeared without another word and left Hermione to explore the room on her own.

On the left, barely visible because of an immense wardrobe next to it, there was a little door which proved to be unlocked. Hermione gasped as she found a wonderful bathroom behind it. There was a gigantic bathtub already filled with steaming hot water and the most agreeable scent of peaches and cream filled the air.

Hermione sighed with relief, slipped her torn robes of her body and sank into the welcoming warmth of the water. She felt her muscles relax and for the first time in months she let her body rest.  She even must have dozed off, because the sound of tiny little feet hurrying past her tub jerked her awake. 

"Ah, Miss Hermione is awake." A house-elf, which Hermione hoped to be female, said happily. "Wimpsy is here to help Miss Hermione dress."

Hermione frowned. She didn't like the idea of having a house-elf to serve her, she simply didn't need one, but she didn't want to offend the little creature that seemed so eager to do something for her, after all she had learned from her experiences with S.P.E.W.. Meanwhile the water had turned cold and Hermione was hungry, so Wimpsy didn't have to beg her to get out of the tub. Wrapped in a soft blue towel she returned to her room and Wimpsy handed her a beautiful set of pale blue satin dress robes, which fitted Hermione perfectly. The house-elf looked pleased as well when Hermione watched herself twirl in front of a mirror in the far off corner. Usually she didn't care much about clothes and that stuff, but after 3 days in a scary dungeon and the months out in battle and hiding, wearing a dress like this one was gorgeous. And it wasn't only the dress that caught her eye. Wimpsy had also taken care of Hermione's long, dark hair, which now fell smoothly down her back. Smiling she had to a admit to herself that she indeed did look stunning. She was still standing by the mirror when the door opened and Draco entered. With a muffled shriek Wimpsy disappeared before her master could take notice of her.

***

Draco's gaze was fixed on Hermione. Even he couldn't deny that she looked stunning, the dirty, smelly bundle of robes she had been down in the dungeons had turned into a pretty good looking young woman. He cleared his throat and Hermione whirled around startled by the sudden noise. 

"What do you want?" she asked disinterested.

He scowled, but then walked over to her and reaching into his pockets a sparkling necklace came to light.  "As my bride you need more than only appropriate clothing. Tonight there'll be our engagement party. Make sure you wear a decent dress with this." Hermione picked up the necklace from his outstretched hand. It was wonderful and she had to suppress a 'thank you'.  All she did was looking straight into his clear grey eyes. His appearance and behaviour didn't show it, but his eyes couldn't hide it. Obviously he was extremely nervous and as if he could feel her invasive look, he turned and walked hastily out of the room.


	8. Escape

DISCLAIMER: I  wish I would own Harry Potter, but unfortunately J.K. Rowling is the one he belongs to. Never mind, the plot is mine that's enough for me.

**Author's note**: Wow. So many reviews. Thank you very very very much. You really do brighten my days. I haven even started to get up earlier to check on the reviews every morning before I go to school/work. Oh, please, promise you'll never stop reviewing. I already know how the story is going to end, but I haven't decided what will happen up to this very last chapter, although I can assure you that there'll be a BIG and stunning surprise.

I'm not really satisfied with the following chapter, but unfortunately I don't have time to rewrite it at the moment. That's why I thought I post it for you and if it's really bad I'll rewrite it on the weekend. Just send me some reviews and tell me what you think about it. J

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

*******

**Chapter 8**

**Escape**

As soon as Draco had left the room Hermione placed the necklace on the desk and walked over to the door. She wouldn't wait for the engagement party to start, she would be gone way before that. Quietly she turned the doorknob and opened the door. Hermione took a step backwards and gaped at the doorframe which wasn't actually a doorframe, but another door. Unbelieving she opened this one, too, with the same result. Another door. And yet another one behind it.

"Malfoy, you...you..." She was so angry, she couldn't even think of an insult. But what had she expected? She was still the prisoner of the deatheaters. Only because she wasn't kept way down in the dungeons any longer this didn't mean she simply would be able to walk out of this room and the Manor. Hermione scolded herself silently, she should have thought of this. Now she had to find a way to break this annoying spell, which would be quite impossible without her wand. Reflecting she bit her lower lip and paced across the room to the window and looked outside. Her room was at least on the third floor, no way that she could jump out of the window from this height and survive, she would certainly end up smashed to ugly bloody bits and pieces if she tried anything like that. The only other room she had access to was her gorgeous bathroom, which had neither windows nor another door. Hermione sighed and went over to the bookshelf, maybe she could find something in these books to help her out. She wouldn't give up so easily, there were still a few hours left until the beginning of this party Malfoy had mentioned. Enough time for her to get out of here.

After a while Hermione's stomach ached, she was definitely hungry. "Dobby?" she asked timidly and the house-elf apparated. 

"Yes, Miss Hermione?"

"Dobby, could you please get me something to eat? I'm starving."

A broad smile appeared on Dobby's face, he vanished without a reply and only seconds later he reapperated with a silver plate loaded full of fresh fruit and sandwiches. 

"Oh, Dobby." Hermione thanked him happily and hungrily bit into a delicious looking Turkey sandwich. The elf watched her with a pleased expression on his face. "Is there anything else Dobby can do for Miss Hermione?" Hermione swallowed hard and put a second, in the meantime already half finished sandwich back on the plate. Her brown eyes locked with Dobby's and she sounded very serious and solemn when she finally asked: "Dobby, can you help me get out of here? Can you help me to escape?"

His eyes widened. "Master Draco ordered you're not to leave this room."

"But, Dobby, I..." Hermione began to answer although she could see his worried and frightened look and her voice died down. "It's all right, Dobby. I know you can't help me, I shouldn't have asked for it." she eventually managed to say and bent down to hug the little house-elf tightly, who stood there once again torn between his loyalty to his master and his friendship with Hermione and Harry Potter.

***

Draco descended the marble staircase down to the front hall of the Manor. His father wanted to meet him in the ballroom to go over the details of tonight's engagement ceremony. A little smile played on the young man's lips when he thought of how he was going to spoil his father's precious plans for him later that evening. Entering the ballroom he tried to keep his face straight to hide his satisfaction. Everything was already beautifully decorated, thousands of candles floated under the ceiling and flooded the room with light, but Draco didn't notice, he was too busy with his own thoughts. Nearly Voldemort's entire following would be present in the evening to participate in a splendid party to honour the  Dark Lord and his future heir, the offspring of Draco's engagement and marriage. 

"Father." He greeted the elder man impersonally with a nod after he had watched him turn. The time when he had been eager to make Lucius proud of him were gone. Now he didn't want to fight for his father's appreciation any longer, he didn't need it anymore. "Has my fiancée arrived, yet? I'd like to get to know her before, well, before proposing to her, you see."

"Ah, Draco." Lucius smiled coldly. "No, she isn't here yet, but the Dark Lord ensured me that she would be here on time. No need to worry about her, son. Now listen. Your mother handed you the Malfoy engagement ring, didn't she? When you propose to her at midnight and she accepts the ring there won't be a way to break up with her. She will be bound to you as you will be to her. She will be a true member of the Malfoy family as will be your son." 

Draco nodded. Inside he could feel a big lump of ice forming in his stomach and he froze inwardly.  "When is the wedding going to take place?" was all he wanted to know. "There's going to be a ceremony in two days at full moon." Draco remained silent. It was his wedding and he had absolutely no say in it as in anything else concerning his life so far. This had to change, he thought, and tonight he would make a start. Tonight would be the beginning of his escape from his father and Voldemort's reign over him. Without another word he walked out of the ballroom and went back upstairs. He knew he had been alone all his life no matter how many people had been around him. Nobody tried to understand him. Nobody even _wanted_ to understand him. He had never been good enough for his father although he had always made an effort to fulfil Lucius' standards. Nevertheless, in his father's opinion he had failed to be the son he had wished for when Draco was born. Draco had been feeling this since he was little and back then he had felt guilty, but today he didn't care anymore. 


	9. Do you want to marry me, Granger?

DISCLAIMER: Well, if I owned Harry Potter or anything else connected to J.K. Rowling's stuff, I wouldn't be posting my precious thoughts here, now would I?

Author's note: Hm, could you send more of those **reviews? I'm afraid, I'm addicted to them...and I depend on your criticism to go on  with the story....the more reviews I get, the more chapters will be posted...and to all those of you who have reviewed so far...thanksthanksthanks...I really love getting/reading your reviews...and special thanks to _Dreaming_ _One_ J ...and as you all know: criticism and suggestions are always welcome....**

***

**AND THEN WE WERE DEFEATED**

**Chapter 9**

**Do you want to marry me, Granger?**

***

Draco stepped into the shower in his bathroom and the hot water immediately comforted his body. He stood there with his eyes shut and tried to melt the ice cube that had formed in his body while talking to his father. Hate and anger seemed to control his mind and soul when he smashed his fist forcefully against the wall. Pain shot through his hand and arm, but he ignored it. He was too absorbed with his thoughts to notice anything as unimportant as pain.

At first his plan had been nothing more but a daring dream. Then he had taken the first steps to make this dream come true. There was still a chance that he could stop. However, he didn't want to stop it anymore. He would go to the mudblood and give her the ring and tonight at the ball he would present his fiancée to his father and the whole deatheater elite. Draco smirked as the scenario became clearer before his inner eye with every single detail he added to it. He saw himself and Granger descend the stairway. His father would gap at them open mouthed and then Lucius would go crazy and loose his temper. He would scream and shout and finally he would raise his wand and finish the mudblood off. Then it would be his turn to raise his own wand to use the death spell on his father, because he killed his beloved fiancée. Lucius wouldn't even know what had hit him. The grin on Draco's face broadened. He would be perfectly safe, to take revenge for his fianées death would be absolutely justified and there would be more than one witness at hand. Hadn't Lucius himself told him only minutes ago that with the ring and the engagement his bride would be as bound on him as he would be on her? It was his duty to execute her murderer. Eye for an eye, life for a life. No one could get him for this kind of vengeance, not even the Dark Lord. And who would be more appropriate to fill in his father's post after his death than his own son?

The water was still pouring down on him when he eventually focused on reality. Absent minded he turned it off, wrapped himself in one of the towels and stepped out of the shower. He had to get ready, there was yet something left to do before his plan could be turned into action. 

***

Hermione was sitting in one of the armchairs near the fireplace when the door opened and Draco entered her room. "Granger, stand up." he snorted in his usual superior way. Hermione didn't move an inch and stayed seated.

"I don't take orders from you, Malfoy. I'm not one of your house-elf slaves that you can boss around." provoking him on purpose. 

"You're right, you're no house-elf. You're one of my prisoners and that's why I can do with you whatever I want to, mudblood. You better follow my commands." his voice was icy and gave her goosebumps. When had Malfoy turned into such a dangerous and terrifying  deatheater? She didn't doubt that he was able to kill a person, maybe he had already murdered people. He really had changed since their days at Hogwarts. Hermione slowly stood up. 

"That's a good girl." he said and walked towards her. Hermione looked him straight into the eye and didn't back away, although she had no clue what he played at. 

Her eyes widened with surprise and her face displayed a look of total astonishment when she saw that Draco Malfoy knelt down before her and took her hand in his.

"Hermione Granger, will you marry me?" 

She was rendered speechless. She had expected anything else, but certainly not him to propose to her in, well, in a _decent way. Actually she hadn't even thought __he would propose to her. Draco had a smug grin on his face. As much as he hated to humiliate himself in front of this mudblood like this, the look she gave him was worth all of it. _

"A simple "yes" would do it, you see." 

"What the hell are you playing at, Malfoy?" she finally managed to reply, but her she sounded weak and feeble. 

"We have a deal, Granger. Remember?" Her puzzled sight amused him.

Hermione had never thought that it would come to this. She had imagined herself being out of the Manor before he would have the chance to realize the deal and, truly, she had never believed that he was being serious about the whole thing. 

"Now, do I have to repeat my question?" slowly but certainly her silence began to annoy him. He sighed. "_Do you want to marry me, Granger_?"

There was nothing Hermione could do about it. "Yes." her voice sounding as faint and hoarse as before and as soon as this single, little word had left her lips, she could feel her heart ache.

Draco reached into his pocket and fished out the little velvet box his mother had given to him. He opened it and took out a delicate silver ring decorated with beautiful emeralds. Quietly he reached out for Hermione's hand once more and gently slipped the ring on her finger. 

***

As soon as the metal had touched her skin Hermione turned cold. She couldn't even look at it without feeling dizzy and disgusted of herself. How could she do this to Harry and Ron? How could she betray them like this? And with Malfoy! Overwhelmed with guilt she hadn't even noticed that Draco had gone.

On the other hand...this was only to save her life. She didn't love Draco and she surely didn't intend to marry him, nevertheless she was wearing his ring, wasn't she? Hermione groaned. How could she have agreed to marry Draco Malfoy? This was her worst nightmare. She felt sick. Thousands of thoughts kept racing in her mind. 

After all she was no more than engaged and it wasn't as if she had married him. Yet. What if she wasn't able to find a way out of here? What if he really wanted to make her his wife? This was too much for her, she had to sit down. She had to calm down. Draco didn't have feelings for her, well, at least none but hate and disgust. He did have something in mind, a plan...and Hermione was almost certain that he wanted to get Harry. It was a trap. She had thought of that earlier, but now she was sure. If she only could escape or send Ron and Harry a note. She had to warn them or they would be caught, or worse. Hermione shuddered. What had she gotten herself and the others into? 


	10. They simply cannot wed!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, so please don't bother to sue me.

**Author's note: I received some more reviews during the last days and I'd like to thank all those who bothered to write one. **

Exlibris asked if I could send him/her an email as soon as the next chapter would be posted. I think that's a good idea. If anybody else of you wants to be informed when a new chapter is up, please let me know and I'll send you a little note.

Another big thank you goes to Dreaming One again. I really enjoy reading your reviews. In her last one she stated that she was afraid Hermione acted against her Gryffindor nature. I read through the chapters once more and checked on that. You see, I don't think she is (too much) out of character. Just imagine the situation she is in and in one of the next chapters she is going to stand up against Draco. Nevertheless, criticism is always welcome and I'd like to know of all those how read my story if they think Hermione should act differently. Let me know what you think about it. Shall I rewrite Chapter 9? I already thought about posting an alternative story line...hm...? 

Personally, I don't like the following chapter. I just thought I had to better get over with it. Actually it's just a draft, and if I rewrite chapter 9 than this will effect chap. 10 as well. Anyway, I do need some criticism, otherwise I don't know if I have to change anything. 

And I'm really sorry that it took me so long to post this chapter, but I didn't get more than 4 reviews last week and I didn't have time to upload anything...send me more reviews then you get more (and better) chapters. 

Anyway, I hope you'll have fun reading the next part!

***

**AND THEN WE WERE DEFEATED**

**CHAPTER 10**

**They simply cannot wed!**

*******

Only one hour later Wimpsy took care of Hermione and clad her in another beautiful and expensive looking satin dress. She carefully adjusted her hair and put on some make up. Hermione's eyes were still fixed on the ring on her left hand and she was oblivious to anything else happening around her. 

"Miss Hermione looks gorgeous." the female house elf said being proud of her artwork. The big green eyes admired her. 

"Hm?" 

A knock disturbed the non-existing dialog and another house elf Hermione hadn't met so far entered the room. 

"Master Draco is going to come here later to pick up his guest. Miss Hermione must be ready by then and is to wait in here." with a little bow the house elf left and closed the door softly.  

That was too much. Angrily she picked up one of the brushes lying in front of her and smashed against the mirror. She had never been this furious before. Who did this ex-Slytherin bastard think he was?  

Wimpsy looked at Hermione frightened, her eyes were filled with tears and she fearfully was clutching the cloth of her white pillowcase with her tiny hands. Hermione regretted her sudden outburst immediately. 

"Wimpsy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...it was just..." she stopped because she didn't know what to say. Her mind was filled with anger and hatred for Malfoy and she had to calm down before she would be able to explain it to the house-elf, but Wimpsy had already vanished, deeply hurt by Hermione's rude behaviour. 

The girl sighed. Since she was kept as a prisoner at Malfoy Manor she seemed to go crazy. She had begun to feel emotions that were unknown to her before. This whole situation was ridiculous and horrible at the same time and there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. Hermione walked over to the impressive oak desk and opened several of its drawers before she finally found some pieces of parchment, ink and a quill. It didn't take her long to write a short note containing the necessary information to warn Harry and Ron not to try anything to rescue her. She was perfectly able to take care of herself and would manage to get out of here on her own. Her best friends wouldn't have to put their lives at stake for her sake. Then she folded the parchment as tiny as she could and placed it in the sleeve of her dress robes. If she couldn't manage to escape from the Manor before the engagement ball tonight she could maybe find a way to pass the note to someone who might be able to give it to Harry. As unlikely as the idea seemed to herself, she didn't have a better one and there was nothing she could do unless a brainwave struck her.

***

Draco was back in his room and dressed up for tonight's ball. He wore gorgeous black and silver dress robes with the Malfoy crest clearly embroided upon them. Looking into the mirror in his room he was perfectly satisfied with his appearance. Draco had grown a few inches and put on muscles. And he did look good in those robes. Impressive, cunning, self-confident and intelligent – he was a born leader, wasn't he?  A smug grin spread on his face and he having grabbed his wand he carefully hid it in his robes. 

He could already hear the music being played downstairs and the first guests had surely arrived within the last hour. They were supposedly chatting gaily and couldn't wait for the engagement to take place. Little did they know that they were in for the biggest surprise of this century. His grin broadened. It wouldn't be long until he had to go and take Hermione downstairs. Poor little Gryffindor, she didn't know that this were the last moments she had to live and neither did his father suspect that he would never see the sun rise again.

About two hours later Draco decided that it was about time to get started with his plan. In the ballroom the party seemed to be a great success, because when he opened the door he could hear joyful laughter and dance music. He wondered why his father hadn't bothered to send a house elf to take him down and neither had Draco been asked to meet his fiancée. It didn't matter to him the least, his mind was occupied with different thoughts. 

He went down the hallway and stopped in front of the door leading to the guest room where Hermione was waiting. Taking a deep breath he opened it and got in.

***

"I'm disappointed,  Granger. You haven't been able to break the little charm I cast on the door? I actually thought you would have been gone for good by now." Draco said mocking her as usual. 

Hermione was still sitting in her armchair and hate showed in her eyes, when she stood up. The dress she wore fitted perfectly and Draco couldn't think of an insult concerning her outer appearance and she even wore the necklace he had given to her earlier. "About time that we get to the ball, I suppose." she answered completely ignoring the things he had said. 

Meanwhile Hermione had tried to plan her escape, but nothing she had thought of would work without a wand. She had no choice but accompanying the slimy git to this ball. There would be so many wizards that it shouldn't be difficult to snatch a wand from one of them and then she would be off in a matter of seconds. Hermione stepped towards him and he took her hand.

"Just in case you should try to run away; I can assure you that there are enough deatheaters around to hunt you down before you would even get to the front door."

Hermione remained silent, however, her look conveyed nothing more but deepest resentment towards her former fellow student.

***

They made their way down to the ballroom without another word. Hermione's body tensed and she could feel that Draco was anxious as well, even though he didn't show it. His grip around her hand tightened. Obviously he was nervous. 

Yet, before Hermione could take any advantage of this situation they had reached another enormous door which magically slid open and revealed a perfect view on the ballroom and a white marble staircase which directly led to the dance floor. Hermione gasped. The whole room was beautifully decorated and filled with a huge crowd. Everybody down there seemed to look at the two youths standing in the doorway. The music stopped playing, the dancers paused and the conversations died down. Nearly 200 pairs of eyes were fixed on Draco and Hermione. Draco didn't mind at all that they drew the attention on themselves. He swallowed hard and then he stated in a clear, loud voice, so that every single person in the room must have heard and understood it: "May I present to you my fiancée and bride, Miss Hermione Granger."

Hermione 's heart skipped a beat and her stomach ached as she heard his words. Draco, too, was paler than usual, but he slowly dragged her down the stairs. 

The guest evidently didn't know what to do. Hermione Granger, a mudblood. One of Potter's ever so faithful sidekicks and yet there was Draco Malfoy, a pureblood deatheater, son of Lucius Malfoy who was an important member of the Dark Lord's inner circle. 

Draco's parents had turned white. Narcissa Malfoy was rendered speechless, she only stared at her son and at the girl by his side. Lucius's hand trembled. If there hadn't been this determined look on his son's face he would have thought he was joking, but there was no way that Draco wasn't serious about what he had said. 

"Father." the young deatheater looked straight into his father's eyes. 

"You are not going to marry this filth." Lucius uttered calmly and very carefully.

Draco didn't answer, nor did Hermione. As soon as she had seen the deatheaters' reaction she knew that something was going on. They hadn't expected that she would show up as Malfoy's bride, they had been just as shocked as she had been on his proposal. Something was going on and she better found out about it before everything would get out of control.

"You are not going to marry a mudblood, boy. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy! You cannot wed!" Lucius spat out the last words and then turned to the audience, which had quietly watched the family for the past 5 minutes, and shouted furiously: "They simply cannot wed!" 

***

Gomen nasai. I deeply apologise for my bad use of the English language in this chapter, but I am too tired to look things up in a dictionary and I hate to go over the stuff and check on mistakes. If anybody is interested  in being my beta, please email me. 


	11. A Mudblood!

**DISCLAIMER: If Harry or anybody/anything else belonged to me, I wouldn't have to work anymore. Nevertheless...I own the plot of the following story!**

**Author's note: Hm, hardly any reviews...no wonder that it took me so long to post this chapter...you don't encourage me enough anymore. *sigh* Please, don't abandon this story...your reviews mean so much to me. Or did you stop to read this fanfic? Why? Was it too boring? **

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 11**

A Mudblood! 

***

Lucius' voice trembled and his eyes sparkled angrily. His outstretched arm aimed at Hermione and again he spat out the degrading insult.

"A mudblood! This filth. How dare you cause your family to lose its face." Draco remained silent teasing his father even more as he stubbornly kept looking straight into his eyes. It wouldn't take long and his dreams would finally come true. He would get rid of the annoying Granger and his father at the same time. A content grin nearly spread over his face.

Hermione, however, couldn't take these offences and humiliations any longer. She was as pale as was Draco's mother and her hands were clenched into tight fists. "How dare _you insult me like this, Lucius Malfoy! I'm a witch and neither you nor anybody else has the right to call me a mudblood." Narcissa gasped. On Lucius' forehead formed little sweatdrops and a vein pulsed rhythmically and clearly visible above his right eye-brow. _

The crowd around the four people in the centre of the room had closed in on them and was interestedly watching the scene they presented to them. Everybody seemed to hold their breaths. They had been promised a gorgeous engagement party at Malfoy Manor, but what happened now was much more attention-grabbing than anything else they had expected.

"You!" Lucius hissed and with a swift move he had gotten his wand out, directly pointing at Hermione's throat, ready to kill her any second. In Draco's eyes a smug glimmer started to glow. Everything was working out as he had imagined it in his mind. Maybe even better than that.

"Lucius! Take your wand down!" A familiar voice broke into the deadly silence and a figure clad entirely in black stepped forward. Albus Dumbledore attened the party, too. Since he had turned his back on the good side of witchcraft and wizardry he had changed a lot. He appeared to be older. The once kind, muggle-loving and merciful headmaster had transformed into one of Voldemort's leading death eaters. 

The people around Draco and Hermione parted and hushed murmurs and low whispers went through the crowd as Dumbledore walked towards the Malfoys and Hermione. Finally the old wizard, the most famous headmaster Hogwarts had ever known, stood next to Hermione. The tip of Lucius' wand was still pointed at her, but she hadn't backed away although her eyes showed fear. Her gaze was fixed at the tip of the wand which could be turned into a deadly weapon causing her sudden, violent death so easily. 

"Lucius." Dumbledore repeated and added lowly "Don't force me to disarm you in front of your guests." 

Draco's father looked at the elder wizard disgustedly. Since Dumbledore had revealed to be one of the Dark Lord's deatheaters, many of them and especially Lucius Malfoy had been very distant to the wizard known as friend of muggles and Voldemort's strongest opponent beside Harry Potter. "I don't take orders from you, Dumbledore. This is my house and I won't let my son marry this soiled girl." 

"Maybe you don't follow my orders, Lucius, but you should think twice before you kill your future daughter-in-law in front of the Dark Lord's entire following." Dumbledore's eyes held the twinkle with which he had used to look so often at Harry and his friends, nevertheless, the smile upon his lips wasn't the least friendly. Obviously he enjoyed this dreadful situation and it was as evident that he took pleasure out of embarrassing a Malfoy in his own house. "She is already wearing an engagement ring. The ring bares the Malfoy family crest. If you harm her, you'll be punished by the law...or by your son. He'll have to revenge her, Lucius. Hermione Granger is your son's legal fiancée and there's nothing you can do about it." While the headmaster spoke these last words his gaze wandered to Draco. The boy's face didn't hold this stern look any longer and his eyes couldn't hide the shock upon the white-haired wizard's last sentences. Could it be that Dumbledore was aware of Draco's plans?  He watched his father and Dumbledore nervously, but the expression on his face didn't change. He knew that this man however old and weak he might seem to be was far more dangerous than Lucius Malfoy.

Lucius seemed to think about what Dumbledore had said. His eyes wandered from Hermione to Draco and back again. He gulped. Slowly, but surely he realised what the headmaster, now his fellow deatheater, meant and he abruptly withdrew his wand taking a step back.

Hermione little by little dared to breathe again. She closed her eyes and the tension that had captured her stiff body was released. 

"This is not the end." Lucius hissed threateningly. "The Dark Lord will never agree to this marriage." with this he turned on his heels  and stormed out of the room. 

Hermione looked at Dumbledore, she couldn't believe that this old man whom she had admired for the past years until she had found out that he was traitor, had now just been saving her life. She swallowed hard. Her legs threatened not to support her any second longer and weird thoughts started racing through her mind. 

"Draco, why don't you take Hermione upstairs to her rooms. She seems to need a rest after this hearty welcome by your father." Dumbledore had uttered this rather kindly, but Draco jumped a little. He had been absorbed in his thoughts after his father had left and all his precious plans, dreams and hopes had been destroyed by this foolish old wizard.

Unwilling he turned to face Hermione. She was still thinking about Dumbledore's surprising appearance to come and rescue her, when she felt someone seizing her arm, but her protest was quite mild, due to the fact that her mind was occupied with thoughts about Dumbledore, Draco and everything that had happened only minutes ago.

Annoyed grabbing her arm Draco dragged the slightly protesting girl with him, up the stairs back to her room.

***

"He can't marry a mudblood, Narcissa. The little brat wanted to get rid of me tonight. If Dumbledore hadn't interfered I could have been dead by now. My own son would have killed me if he had gotten the chance." Draco's father was sitting in his drawing room, his head in his hands. His wife stood near the fireplace, watching her husband intently. Usually he was calm and didn't show any deeper emotion, but today was different. In front of her sat a broken man.

"My own son. The Dark Lord will never forgive me. She is a mudblood. Filth. Dirt. Soiled. We have to find a way to get rid of her." Lucius Malfoy mumbled over and over again.

***

The ballroom had emptied. After Lucius had gone and Draco had pulled Hermione upstairs again most of the guest had left except for one. A tall man stood exactly where Hermione had an hour before and bent down picking up a tiny piece of parchment which lay forgotten on the ground. 

***

In another room of the huge Manor Voldemort sat once again in a squashy armchair next to a fireplace. He hadn't attended the engagement party, but he knew for sure what had happened. Nothing could occur on these grounds which he wasn't informed of instantly. One would surely expect him to be furious by now and to give an order to wipe out the entire Malfoy family including this filthy mudblood whom Draco claimed to be his fiancée, but Voldemort had nothing of that sort in mind.

Next to him Dumbledore had seated himself in another chair and was watching the fire burning. 

"Then everything has worked out well, so far." the Dark Lord finally began a conversation.

"Yes, indeed, it has and everything will happen as expected. They aren't aware of our plans, yet." 

"Fine. Then take care that nobody interferes with them. There's not much time left. We have to hurry up or everything is lost, Dumbledore." 

The headmaster nodded silently with a grim look on his face. He was in charge of Voldemort's future and he was determine not to mess up his own. 


	12. A Malfoy!

**DISCLAIMER**: I own this fabulous plot, but unfortunately none of the characters mentioned belong to me. 

**Author's note: Hey, you guys are still out there. Thank you so much for reviewing again. I was really happy to see that there's still someone interested in this story. Thankyouthankyouthankyou...a big hug goes to all you people who let me know what they think about "And then we were defeated."  As I said before, criticism is always welcome.**

Oh, yes and if you can't stand my English any longer…then, why don't you volunteer to be my beta? 

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 12**

**A Malfoy?!**

*******

Draco slammed the door to his room shut. This seemed to become a nasty habit of his. After he had locked up Hermione in her guest room, he had retired to let his anger subside and to calm down. How could have everything gone so bloody wrong? He had carefully planned every single detail of this evening and he could still picture how his plan would have worked if Dumbledore hadn't messed it up. Draco had the burning urge to kill someone, to make them pay for it. Now he was stuck with this mudblood as his fiancée, Dumbledore obviously had seen right through his plan and knew what he had intended to do today and worst of all, his father found out about it, too. At the moment there was nothing he could do about it. What would his father do? Perhaps he would be a prisoner in his own house, Lucius would never trust him again, maybe even his life was in danger. Dumbledore would surely do anything to make his life hell as he had done back at Hogwarts. And Voldemort? How would the Dark Lord react? They would probably kill the mudblood Granger next thing in the morning, but this didn't bother him at all, who cared about her anyway. He had to take care of his own safety now, there was no time to think about his beloved fiancée's future.

While Draco was desperately pacing up and down, still having a horrible fume, a pop announced Dobby's arrival and the house-elf informed his master serenely that Draco was expected to come down in the drawing room by the Dark Lord. Dobby disapparated before the young deatheather could do any harm to him and Draco's mood dropped even more. Maybe a Malfoy would have to die today, but sure enough it wouldn't be Lucius. Draco sighed. Whatever was to come, it would happen sooner than he had assumed and even a daring escape wouldn't save him from Voldemort's revenge. At least, death was better than leading a life as their marionette eagerly following any of their orders.

***

Hermione stared absent-mindedly in the vanity mirror in the corner of her room. She was still wearing her dressrobes and the looking glass showed a pretty young girl whose eyes were clouded with sorrow and confusion. Every time she recalled those dreadful moments when Lucius Malfoy had pointed his wand at her, ready to kill her on the spot, she went cold and a shiver ran through her body. A few hours ago she had imagined herself being well away from the Manor by now...or at least she would have had a chance to contact Harry and Ron. She hadn't even tried to escape. The moment Lucius had threatened to kill her, she had turned to stone and hadn't been able to move any more. Gone was her Gryffindor pride and she felt more than only humiliated. She was now officially engaged with Draco Malfoy, Voldemort's entire following had witnessed that on her hand was a ring bearing the Malfoy crest and that Draco claimed her to be his bride. And then Dumbledore had come to her rescue. Dumbledore, the least of all people she had expected to see, whom she had wanted to meet and after all it was him who saved her life. Draco, this little deatheater bastard had been waiting for Lucius Malfoy to finish her off, evidently to get rid of his father right after. Hermione felt dizzy. There was no one she could trust and no way to get out of the Manor. She was stuck in this mess for now and there was nothing she could do about it. 

Hermione was so absorbed with her thoughts and feelings that she didn't even hear the soft knock on the door. It was only when the door was opened that her gaze wandered to the person standing in the doorway and her eyes widened with surprise as she finally realised who was entering her room.

***

The Dark Lord, Lucius Malfoy and to Draco's astonishment even Dumbledore were already assembled in his father's drawing room when he finally entered it. Lucius didn't bother looking at his son and stood stubbornly gazing outside in the pitch black darkness at one of the numerous windows. Voldemort was seated behind his father's desk and Albus Dumbledore was next to him, remaining motionless, his arms folded in front of his chest. 

"Well, why don't you come nearer, Draco?" Dumbledore asked and Draco decided that for once, it would be best to follow the old man's suggestion. He walked over to the oak desk and the headmaster motioned him to sit down in one of the two chairs facing the Dark Lord. 

Voldemort leaned back in the study's leather chair and smiled. Perfect. He hadn't expected the boy to appear so calm, his face set straight for whatever was to come, but yet Draco couldn't conceal his discomfort from his master's eyes. 

 "Draco," Dumbledore eventually began to talk to him, " do you have anything to say to us to give an excuse for your behaviour earlier this evening?" Draco didn't answer.

"Well, well, then we, or better, _you_ are stuck with Miss Granger to marry you." Dumbledore chuckled. At this Lucius Malfoy span around. "Never ever in my life I'd agree to this marriage. She is a _mudblood_! Filth!" before he could go on Dumbledore interrupted him: "You better watch your words, Lucius. I already told you that there's nothing _you_ could do about this engagement." 

"I wouldn't bet on that." replied the other mumbling and added louder, so that everyone could hear him "and what about the girl meant to be Draco's bride? Where is she now? I don't see why we shouldn't get rid of the Granger girl and replace her by a decent fiancée."

"Cut it out." the Dark Lord had raised his hand and waved it dismissingly at Lucius Malfoy and Dumbledore. "I actually came to the conclusion that it would be best, and very interesting indeed, to let the young Mr. Malfoy have his will. After all, he has made his choice and if he thinks Miss Granger would be a suitable wife then we should trust his decision." 

Draco's mouth fell open. He had expected everything and anything, but certainly not that the Dark Lord would give his consent to this marriage. This was absolutely ridiculous and unbelievable. He and Granger? A mudblood…and now it really looked like they had to marry each other?

"From now on, Miss Granger is to be treated like a born member of the Malfoy family. She is your son's fiancée, Lucius, so you better take good care of her. I don't see why the wedding shouldn't take place in three days from today. Then she'll be an official member of your family and bear your name as well." Voldemort had given these orders smiling and Dumbledore had nodded to confirm his union with the Dark Lord. 

Lucius Malfoy seemed to be about to drop dead on the floor and Draco himself looked thunderstruck. Granger – a Malfoy?! And he would have to marry her? His plans had gotten out of his hand and right now Draco had no clue what to do. As Dumbledore had said, he was stuck with Hermione Granger and if he didn't have a brainwave they would be husband and wife in three days.


	13. Author's note

Hi, so this isn't a chapter and the entry will be deleted as soon as chapter 13 is up. I just wanted to give you a chance to tell me how you would like the plot to go on. You can be sure that I consider your suggestions...

Who do you think meets Hermione in her room in chapter 12? Actually I have already decided whom it will be, but if your suggestions are better, I might change and rewrite that. Anyways, whoever she meets...the person is bound to die.

Do you want Draco to actually marry Hermione? Or would you prefer the two of them to break up their engagement? 

I though of a rather nice way to make the two fall in love with each other, but this will take time...as I warned you before that this story will be quite long.

Do you think the protagonists are still in character? I hope there are, but as I'm writing this fic, I'm far from being objective.

Oh, and what about the ending? Do you want Draco and Hermione to live happily ever after? As the fic is categorized to be a drama it might be that something sad happens in the end...should I change that? 

And what about the rating? Is PG13 still okay? Where I come from we rate things different, so I'm not sure if PG13 is appropriate for the story. There are going to be some scenes containing sex and violence later so it might be better to rate it R? What do you think? 

Uhm, yes...Another big thank you for all those who reviewed the story so far. Your notes keep me going. Don't be sad that I hardly mention your names in the author's notes, I'm too lazy for that kind of stuff...but if you logged in for your review I always (I swear) have a look at your account and read your stories (if there are  any) and review them. To some I also send emails (although I'm not quite sure if they reach the addressees and if you like to be bothered by me). I'm really thankful for any kind of criticism that comes from you great reviewers.  

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS!!!

Best Wishes and a Happy Easter! 

Love,

liar


	14. Breaking the News

**DISCLAIMER:** Hmm, please don't sue me; I'm not making money with this. However, I can ensure you that I'll save my last penny to pay for a brilliant lawyer if you use or copy my plot without asking me.

**Author's note:** Uh, thank you for so many good suggestions after I posted the author's note. I was really impressed, you see.  Many of you suggested that Hermione should meet Krum. You know, I never thought of that. Honestly, that was a nice surprise. Nevertheless, I decided to leave the following story as it is and Hermione isn't going to meet **Viktor Krum, partly, because I don't know how to imitate his way of speaking and partly because I don't like him. But if your fond of him, I'll write him in a little later. Maybe I can think of something good then. **

Then, from now on, I've got a **beta**! Yeah, let's celebrate, **Exlibris** volunteered and will be checking on my spelling and grammar and that stuff. We should all send a big thank you out to her, because she makes life/reading more interesting and pleasing when all those annoying typing mistakes are erased. 

Okay, only one more thing. Some of you asked me whether I could go into detail as far as Dumbledore and his turning to the dark side is concerned. I don't think I'll include too much of that in this very story, because this is mainly based on Hermione and Draco, but I thought about starting **a second fic as companion** to this one in which I'll tell Dumbledore's story and how Hermione found out he's evil. To make things more interesting I'd like to try something new...an interactive fic in which I'll give you the very first chapter to trigger things off, then I'll give the readers a variety of choices about  what could happen next and they can decide. I'll write according to their wishes. I'm not sure if this could work, but if you could be interested in it, please let me know in your reviews or send me an email. [**Sam81@gmx.net]**

Oh, now just one more thing (sorry, usually I try to keep my notes short and sweet): If you want me to notify you via **email as soon as a new chapter is up**, then please send me an email or tell me in your reviews.

Now have fun reading and don't forget to review....

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 13**

**Breaking the News**

***

In the doorframe stood none other than Severus Snape, her former Potions Master. 

"I thought you were killed." Hermione finally managed to say after she had overcome the first shock at seeing Snape alive with the dark mark clearly visible on his arm. 

"Obviously I'm still safe and sound as you can see." Snape replied without changing his expression. 

"And it is so like you being back to serve you-know-who." added Hermione with a shudder, eyeing the wizard as if he were some kind of an extremely ugly and slimy snail.

"If that's what you think, Miss Granger. However, it seems to me that you turned on the dark side after all those years of being Potters faithful sidekick. As I heard you'r marrying Draco Malfoy."

Hermione remained silent and cast down her eyes. Snape cleared his throat. "Now, if you could follow me downstairs, I am to escort you to the drawing room."

***

Before Lucius and Draco got a chance to recover from the bad news that the Dark Lord had decided to approve of the engagement with a certain mudblood, and that therefore, the marriage was actually settled, a hardly audible thud on the door of the study announced the arrival of another person who was obliged to take part in their meeting. The door swung open and Hermione came in followed by Severus Snape.

Hermione froze as soon as she saw who else was in the room with her. Dumbledore, Voldemort and the two Malfoys, although she had to admit that neither Draco nor his father looked the least happy, only Dumbledore stood there smiling and once again reminding her of the good old days at Hogwarts, a time when she had been happy and didn't even dream of being forced into an engagement with Draco Malfoy.

"Well, Draco, we leave it to you then to break the good news to Miss Granger." Dumbledore stated maliciously. The blonde boy had a weird look on his face, but remained seated, whereas the Dark Lord rose and left the room accompanied by Lucius and the headmaster. Snape shot a last confused glance at Hermione, then turned and walking out closed the door behind him. 

Draco himself was more than only baffled and confused, he simply couldn't believe that he would have to marry the mudblood. What had gotten into Dumbledore and the Dark Lord? What did they have in mind? They must have gone crazy or they had an extremely strange, but perfect plan in mind. He had to be very careful not to overlook and misinterpret anything in their words and actions or he might be trapped in a deadly ruse before he could even knew what had happened. 

Hermione didn't have a clue about what was going on, either. Severus Snape was alive and had turned on Voldemort's side as had Dumbledore. Or had he been a traitor all the time? And did Draco have an order to kill her? Was it what Dumbledore had meant referring to the "good news"? All of a sudden she felt incredibly sick again... She had only just adjusted herself to being alive; to have survived the last horrible days and hours as a captive at Malfoy Manor under the most dreadful and outrageous circumstances one could imagine only to be murdered by her archenemy? Unconscious about the fact that these thoughts had been perfectly displayed on her face, she tried to make a self-confident and brave appearance, directly facing her so called fiancé.

Draco scowled. He could see the confusion mixed with fear on Granger's face. Usually he would have made fun of her, or would have scared her to death, but at the moment he was too puzzled himself to take advantage of the situation, although he knew how to conceal his thoughts from her. 

"Why don't you come over here, Granger? Best you sit down before I tell you what's going on." he sighed.

Hermione frowned. "So you want to kill me with your bare hands then? I think I prefer to stay here."

Draco looked quizzically. "Don't give me a reason to break your neck, Granger. I'd be glad to finish you off. That would solve a lot of my problems." He stood up and walked over to her. Hermione didn't move an inch and stood there facing him. "Unfortunately the Dark Lord has different plans for you." 

Now she could clearly see the hate and frustration in his eyes that he tried to hide. 

"The Dark Lord agreed to our engagement. We'll  marry in three days." he had blurred out the last sentences; and as he heard himself saying those words, a strange pain shot through his body. It had been weird to hear Dumbledore and Voldemort speaking of it, but to utter those words himself hurt even more. How could his plans have gone so terribly wrong?

Hermione's eyes widened. She couldn't tell if it was shock or surprise that occupied her mind and feelings. Instead of relief, there was something different bothering her. She wasn't going to be killed... she was going to really marry that death eater bastard, which was even worse than being dead in her opinion. 

For a moment both stood in silence, the words and their meaning still clinging in their ears. Draco's deep grey eyes were locked with hers; searching for an ultimate solution to the horrible situation they were in. The entire world seemed to have come to a halt, and both were standing so close to each other that they could feel the warmth of their breaths on their skins. He noticed the faint, but pleasant smell of vanilla and honey that surrounded Hermione that he hadn't noticed before.

Suddenly Hermione snapped out of her entrancing thoughts and Draco hurriedly took a step back.

"Never ever in my life am I going to marry you, you annoying git."

Draco's eyes turned an even darker shade of grey. "Oh, really?" he sneered. "I don't think there's anything you can do about it. And, after all, you are already engaged with me. Did Hogwart's smartest witch forget she's been wearing my ring all the time?" his voice was dripping with sarcasm and hate. Hermione's gaze fell upon the delicate ring she was wearing. 

"Only because I'm wearing it, it doesn't mean I'm marrying you." 

"Then why haven't you taken it off by now?" 

"Because..." Hermione started, but couldn't think of a reply. She hadn't even thought about taking it off since Draco had slipped the ring on her finger. Now she began clumsily to pull it off her finger, but it was stuck and wouldn't move an inch. 

Draco's eyes narrowed and once again he smiled his famous smug smile. 

"Rendered speechless, hmm? It doesn't matter to me anyway, you can keep it." Hermione blushed furiously, but she stopped tearing at the ring. There were more important things than such a minor detail.

"Obviously you're not fond of being my husband, either." she stated recovering her dignity and self-confidence. 

"Indeed, you've got a point there, Granger."

"Then I don't see, why there's a problem. We simply don't have to marry if neither of us wants to."

"It's not that easy."

"Well, why not?"

"Because the Dark Lord and Dumbledore actually _want_ us to marry. For some reason they are fond of this stupid idea."

"I'm not going to become your wife. Forget about that." Hermione answered stubbornly as she eyed the blonde boy and disgust filled her voice. 

Draco had to suppress the urge to blast the girl into smithereens. How could she dare to reject him? After all, he was a Malfoy and every single girl on this goddamn planet should be glad to be his bride. Not that he cared for her the least, but being rejected somehow insulted him deeply. This foolish mudblood had no idea of how lucky she was to be his fiancée under whatever circumstances. He gave Hermione a look that would have scared the wits out of any normal human being, but she just stood there, facing him with a determined expression. 

"Fine. Then let's see what you can do about it." he finally replied and walked out of the room, leaving Hermione alone once more. 

She stared into the flames blazing in the fireplace and tried hard to think of something that would help her in this unbelievable situation. Then, suddenly, her eyes brightened and she walked over to the door, pushing down the handle and to her amazement the door opened and she could actually go straight ahead with no one around to guard or stop her. 


	15. Rescue?

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own Harry Potter or anything connected with the fabulous story J.K. Rowling wrote, BUT I can claim ownership of the plot of the following fanfic, so please respect that.

**Author's note**: I'm not happy with the following chapter. I wrote several drafts with different plots until I could decide that this one was obviously the best of them all. I'm really sorry that it took me so long to post it, but I didn't have time to write anything until Friday night. 

**PREDICTABLE**? **Krisleigh**, that's a challenge…I know you didn't call it predictable and I'm not offended, but nevertheless, I'll swear this isn't going to be predictable.  At least I hope it's not predictable. Hah! You made me rewrite the following chapter! For a 4th time actually (no wonder it took me so long to post it). Let's see, if it's still this predictable! **Did you never have the feeling that you know who the bad guy is when reading  J.K. Rowling's books and in the end everything turned out to be completely different from what you had expected? **

Oh, and once again, thank you for reviewing. I doubt that this story is as good as some of you say, because otherwise more people would review it…*sighes* Please, send me more of those reviews, **I really need criticism** and if we hit of **100 reviews **I promise there'll be a huge surprise. 

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

** Chapter 14******

** Rescue?******

***

Hermione didn't hesitate but a second before she walked straight out of the drawing room. Nobody was standing in the hallway, there was no one who could stop her from getting out of the Manor and the bloody mess she was in. 

Cautiously she looked around and then headed for the staircase that would lead her downstairs into the hall where she would be able to easily slip out of the front door, but unfortunately she was unaware of a pair of dark eyes watching her flight.

***

She had nearly reached the door to freedom, when a blast hit her in the back and she was thrown violently against the tapestry of the hall. Hermione gave a little squeak before darkness took over and she collapsed on the floor. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds since she had passed out, because as she slowly opened her eyes she could see Lucius Malfoy coming towards her. A hot pain shot through her head and her chest hurt with every breathe she took. 

He had his wand pointed at her, ready to strike and to finish what he had attempted to do earlier. She didn't want to see him doing it and she wouldn't beg for her life. Instead, she closed her eyes and once again a comforting darkness rushed trough her and she was carried away from all the pain in her mind and body. 

***

A lunatic smile spread on his face and he looked down at her with more hate and dislike than he had ever felt for any mudblood before in his life. They were weak and soiled. Dirt. Nothing more. The wizarding world had to be released from them. Lucius Malfoy was about to cast the spell that would kill the unconscious girl lying in front of him, when suddenly he noticed the shadow that displayed clearly on the ground next to him and the mudblood. He lowered his wand a little and turned around to face the person who had interrupted him.

"You?" he didn't stop smiling. "It's time to get rid of her, don't you think? This stupid game has been going on for too long already. My name, no, the name of the entire Malfoy family is at stake. I won't let this mudblood marry a Malfoy." 

The other didn't answer. He frowned at the man and wondered how a person who has always been proud of being able to keep his emotions under control, could act like this. Lucius faced Hermione once more and raised his wand again, but just as he was about to cast the death spell on her, the one behind him shouted "Stupefy!" and he dropped stiffly down on the floor.

***

Hermione woke up and blinked as she became aware of the two huge pairs of eyes that seemed to hover right above her face. She would have jumped if her body hadn't been so sore, but Hermione finally managed to focus on the faces and realized that the 4 large eyes belonged to no one else than Wimpsy and Dobby. She sighed heavily and looking around she noticed that she was back in the guest room she had been locked up in before. All she could remember was that she had tried to reach the front door and then…then something had hit her and now she was captured again in this horrible guestroom. 

When the two houseelves saw that Hermione had woken up, they busily ran around the room and brought plates with food and something to drink for her. Wimpsy took even care of Hermione's headache by giving her a painkiller potion. She gladly accepted the spoonful of bitter liquid and although she scowled as she gulped it down, she was immediately rewarded, because the pain gradually subsided. 

Wimpsy and Dobby smiled at her, and then quietly left. Hermione stared at the ceiling of her four-poster and ran her fingers through her hair. This had been her chance to escape and now everything was spoiled and she didn't know what and why all that had happened to her down there in the hall. She couldn't even remember how she had gotten back to bed. Already she could feel her eyes water because of the disappointment and she reached over to grab a handkerchief from the bedside table, but instead of a hanky her hand touched a small piece of paper, neatly folded into a tiny square. What was that? She grabbed the parchment and unfolded it reading the little note that had hastily been scribbled on it.   

***

Draco kept turning around in his bed. He had drifted off to sleep as soon as his head had touched his pillow, but then this dream had found its way into his mind and now it wouldn't leave him alone. There was a girl in this dream and although he couldn't quite figure out what she looked like, the familiar odour of vanilla and honey surrounded her. She came towards him whispering and he knew she was smiling as she reached out for him to pull him into a tight hug. However, Draco tried to get away from her. Something inside him didn't want to be touched by her. The girl laughed a little. "You can't get away from me. We are forever bound to each other. You know it, because you start to feel it, too." The overwhelming sweet smell of vanilla and honey made him feel dizzy and staggering backwards he suddenly fell. 


	16. She's gone

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own Draco and Hermione, although I wish I did...

**Author's note**: I hope at least some of you read **Dreaming One's review. Hm. I think she (I guess you are a she – May is a female name -  I'll apologise if you're male; btw I don't know if you ever received one of my emails, sometimes I'd like to answer to your reviews and I'm never sure if you're annoyed or if you just don't get my mails.) is quite right with what she wrote. You see, this is **my first fanfic ever**, I have only written scientific essays so far and nothing that would be close to fantasy. That's why I am so thankful if you criticise the chapters I post.  I guess, the last chapters have indeed been a little too boring. Hm, and they somehow ended up in a neat little circle. Oh well. This review really disturbed me (in a positive sense) and instead of analysing a scientific article (an essay which is due tomorrow) I can't help but writing a new chapter. Something that's better than anything I posted recently. So, please read through it and tell me what you think about it. **It is not beta-read, sorry Exlibris, but I wanted to post it now**. And ****please, feel free to flame me if it sucks. I need to know what's wrong if I ever want to become a good writer. Criticism is always welcome!**

Thank you.

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 15**

**She's gone!**

***

Draco hit the ground with a loud bump as he fell off his four-poster and awoke instantly. 

"Fuck. What's that about?" He mumbled sleepily and tried to figure out why he wasn't in his bed anymore. He lay entangled in his satin sheets and finally grabbed his wand from the bedside table. "Lumos." he muttered and threw his blankets away from him to get up. The room was now lit with a soft golden light and Draco was about to climb back into his bed when the memory of the strange dream that had hunted him in his sleep came back to his mind. Anger rose inside him and disregarding that he was still wearing his silk pyjamas he stormed out of his room and down the corridor  until he came to a halt right in front of the room where Hermione was kept captive. 

His stomach ached at the though of her and he hesitated a second, but then he pushed down the handle and opened the door. He stomped towards the four-poster, drew at the curtains and was about to yell at Hermione's sleeping figure when he noticed that she was gone. Her bed was empty and untouched. Draco's mouth snapped shut and his eyes narrowed. He turned and walked towards the bathroom door to see if it was locked and if she was inside the bathroom, but as he tried to open the door it easily gave way and revealed nothing but a dark and empty bathroom.  Both rooms looked as if there hadn't been anybody in there for hours, nothing was touched, there were no clothes spread anywhere or any other sign that a girl had resided in them.

He swore. "Granger! Where the hell is that mudblood?!" he yelled and left the guestroom. With a flick of his wand the candles floating in the hallway lightened and Draco went to the staircase. "Dobby! Wimpsy! Come here at once!" Now he was furious. The two house-elves apperated right in front of him only seconds after he had called their names. "Where is she? Where is Hermione Granger?" he demanded to know threateningly. "She is not in her room. Go find her immediately! If she has left the grounds or even the Manor you can be sure not to outlive the break of dawn!" The two little creatures looked at each other, but dared not ask their master a question and within a split second both vanished to search for the missing girl. 

Draco returned to Hermione's room and closed the door behind him. Yes, he was furious, but at the same time fear mixed with his rage and fury. A kind of fear he hadn't known before. He wasn't afraid of what the Dark Lord and Dumbledore would do to him if they found out that Hermine had gone and his father would rather celebrate to be rid of the mudblood then being angry with Draco, but Draco actually was afraid for Hermione. An iron hand seemed to hold his heart in a tight grip every time he thought of her and he wondered what had happened to her. Had she found a way to escape? Hardly possible. She wouldn't even be able to get out of her room without a wand or anybody to help her. Something was wrong here. Hermione Granger, the mudblood bitch he hated nearly as much as Harry Potter, had disappeared and what was even stranger...he cared about her. 

His head in his hands he sat down on the bed. Again he felt dizzy and his stomach squirmed. All he could think of was Hermione and what might have happened to her. His whole being seemed to be focused on her and although his brains told him that he actually shouldn't give a damn about her he couldn't help worrying.  

Never before in his entire life Draco Malfoy had worried for another person and now he was on the brink of a nervous breakdown because an annoying mudblood bitch had vanished. Something had changed inside him and Draco Malfoy was sure that this had not happened for his own good.


	17. Another author's note

Hi folks, as you can see this is not another chapter, it is an author's note. 

Uhm, thanks to your reviews I noticed I had to change my style of writing. I spent the whole day planning the plot of  "And then we were defeated". I'm done with that now. The story is probably going to end with chapter 21 or 22. 

Harry and Ron appear in the next chapter and Draco and Hermione get closer, they finally kiss (or they'll do even more…) in of the following chapters. Uhm, I don't want to give away more. I just hope that the next chapters will be awesome. 

Please let me know what you think about them and review. I'm really grateful for any kind of constructive criticism. 

The next chapter will be posted on Friday or Saturday, depends on how fast Exlibris is finishing her beta-reading. J

Oh, and I already have the plot of my next story in mind. I think that one is going to be way better than this one, because I've learnt a lot writing "And then we were defeated" and I can only improve, don't ya think?

Feel free to email me or send me a review if you've got questions or suggestions!

BTW: **I never stated I'm a girl. *****shakes head*** Do only girls write Draco/Hermione fanfiction? That's weird…hm…I hope not all of you think I'm female.

Love and a big hug for reading this,

liar


	18. Weird Dreams

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry, Ron, Draco or Hermione…everything except the plot belongs to the one and only J.K. Rowling. 

**Author's note: **Not much too say. This is probably the longest chapter so far. Read, enjoy and please review. Tell me what you think about it. Oh, and thank you for the reviews I received last night. That was really great. Is my English worse than in the first chapters? *paces up and down and worries* I thought that with a beat double-checking it would improve.

** *****

** And Then We Were Defeated**

** Chapter 16**

** Weird Dreams**

** *****

_A few hours earlier:_

Hermione sat up in bed as her slightly trembling hands anxiously unfolded the piece of parchment. "_Hermione, don't give up, Dobby will help you get out of the Mansion. Trust him and take care. Love, Harry and Ron." _The note was short and scribbled hastily upon the little sheet. Hermione wasn't even able to distinguish whether it was Ron or Harry's handwriting, but those few words gave her back her strength. Despite her sore back, she tried to get up. The pain killer potion was working, however, the dose hadn't been strong enough to block out all the pain that tormented her body. 

"Dobby, thank you so much." Hermione finally managed to say walking over to the little creature and bending over hugged him tightly. Dobby was shaking, his huge eyes filled with tears and so did Wimpsy's as she saw the two standing in the middle of the room. Hermione sobbed a bit, she felt so relieved. Harry and Ron were somewhere out there and with the help of the little house-elf she would soon be able to join her best friends ever. She would never have to see that bastard Malfoy again. 

"Miss Hermione," Dobby started weakly, "Harry Potter is waiting for Miss Hermione. Dobby better gets Miss Hermione out of here before Master Draco wakes up." his voice wavered lightly and big tears were still pouring out of his eyes. Wimpsy watched them, then cleared her throat. Looking at her, Dobby nodded and with the usual soft pop, Wimpsy left. "Dobby can't get Wimpsy into trouble. Dobby can't get Miss Hermione in trouble. Miss Hermione is a friend of Harry Potter." Suddenly the house-elf jumped over to the four-poster and forcefully banged his had at one of the posts. "Dobby doesn't have a choice." he whispered sadly and turned to face Hermione. 

The girl had been absorbed staring out of the window, she had hardly noticed Dobby punishing himself, but now she gazed at him wide eyed. "Are you all right?" asked she frowning. The elf nodded, twisting his hands in front of his poor white pillowcase. His large eyes focused on Hermione and once again they seemed to water with tears. 

"Miss Hermione is to follow Dobby." he eventually said and went ahead to the oak doors, open them and stepped outside, waiting for Hermione to follow him.

***

Dobby led her through secret passages in the Manor, that, Hermione thought, not even the Malfoys themselves would know about. Nobody seemed to have used them for ages. The damp stonewalls were covered with cobwebs and spiders dangled from the ceiling. It was dark and cold down the narrow walkways, and Hermione had trouble to keep up with Dobby, who hurriedly tripled in front of her. 

They seemed to walk through those passages for hours until Dobby abruptly came to a halt and pointed at a trapdoor right above his head in the ceiling of the tunnel. "Miss Hermione can get out there. Harry Potter will wait for her." 

"Don't you want to come with me? You can't go back to the Malfoys." she was desperate and felt guilty knowing that Dobby would have to punish himself severely back at the Manor; and she didn't doubt that his Master would do something worse than only punishing him if they found out he helped her escape. 

"Dobby must go back. Dobby cannot leave Wimpsy alone, Miss Hermione." The little elf looked so sad and pitiful that Hermione couldn't help but hugging him for a second time that day. 

"Thank you so much for everything you have done for me, Dobby." she sobbed, but the elf didn't answer her, with a pop he disapperated and left her alone in the spooky passage.

Hermione reached up and pushed against the trapdoor ignoring the spiders and the dust that fell down on her. She had expected it to be quite heavy, yet it opened easily and the moon standing high up in the night sky dimly illuminated her surroundings. As fast as she could Hermione climbed through the opening and left her prison behind her. 

There she stood in the moonlight on a meadow somewhere out in the country. She took a deep breath. It was hard to believe she was free after those days and nights she had spend at the Manor, but now everything that had happened to her during the last days seemed like a weird dream. Free.

Hermione screamed as all at once two strong arms grabbed hold of her and spun her around. 

"Hermione." Ron said smiling. Realising that it was Ron Weasley who held her, she immediately relaxed and recovered from her shock. Then she could not only feel Ron's arms around her, but also Harry's. Both held her securely and tears sprung into her eyes. 

"I'm so glad you're here." she whispered. "I didn't know what had happened and then I was trapped with Malfoy and…and…how did you know I was there?" 

"Shh." Harry calmed her and the two boys sheepishly stepped back. "Dobby told us. He sent us a note." Harry explained and Ron added frowning "I'm afraid he had to punish himself quite a lot for that."  

Hermione was about to ask another question but wondered why her friends didn't want to know what had happened to her? She was so glad that she was back with the two boys and that they were all right, now she wanted to know what had happened to the others. What about Sirius and Lupin? Harry and Ron, however, didn't answer her questions. Instead, Harry stopped her from asking anything else by telling her they first had to get to a safe place and so they took her away to a secret hut which stood hidden somewhere in a forest near the meadow and even as they finally reached their shelter for the night, the two were awkwardly silent.

"Hey, Hermione, you look battered." Ron said and led her over to a small bed in the corner of the room. Actually the little hut only had one room, and under different circumstances, Hermione would have been eagerly looking around it, absorbing the whole tiny cabin and enjoying her stay with her friends, but tonight she felt strange. The pain killer potion wore of and the pain flooded back into every inch of her body. 

Harry and Ron looked at her and worryied if she was okay. "You better lie down, Hermione. You look tired." Harry sounded concerned and Hermione could see that Ron's face held a similar expression. She knew that none of them would listen to her protests, and she felt so tired and exhausted that she simply gave in, and lay down. Ron came over to her and sat down on her bed. "Here, Hermione, this will do you good." He held a little flacon, which seemed to be filled with a clear liquid, in his hand. He smiled encouragingly at her, and Hermione thankfully accepted the small bottle and poured down the liquid. Instantly warmth spread in her body and she could hear Harry and Ron whisper that she was safe with them and that nobody would hurt her anymore. Her eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep. 

***

Hermione found herself floating in midair. There was nothing under, above or around her but a warm light that seemed to enwrap her body. She felt secure and safe, although she didn't know where she was. She soared through the light for what seemed an eternity when she sensed that she wasn't alone. Somebody else was with her; she could clearly feel his presence.

_Draco_. This thought kept running through her mind and his arms sneaked around her and held her. She could smell him, feel the heat of his body so close to hers. _Draco_. This was Draco Malfoy who held her close and whose body melted into hers. Her mind screamed. _Wrong_. She shouldn't be near him. _He was a deatheater_. He hated her and she hated him. Yet, both her body and her heart couldn't let go off him. And they didn't want to let him go. It felt so right to be in his arms, to be with him. She belonged to him and she knew he belonged to her. _Bound_. They were bound to each other. 

***

Meanwhile Draco had been sitting on her bed for quite some time now when he felt tiredness and exhaustion seep into every cell of his body. Hermione, what the hell had happened to that mudblood? Neither Dobby nor Wimpsy had returned so far and it wouldn't be long until the sun would rise. Draco sighed and lay back on the bed. He couldn't get her out of his head. Drowsily he closed his eyes and magically he fall asleep.

Golden light surrounded him, and felt himself soaring through a sea of warmth. Then, he realized there was somebody with him. It was her. His heart skipped a beat. He felt anxious and happy as he saw her in front of him and couldn't help but take her into his arms and hold her tight. Vanilla and honey. _Wrong_. He would never ever let go off her again. She is a _Mudblood_. The word echoed in his mind. However, his heart longed for her, he couldn't let her go. It felt so right to hold her his arms, to be with her. He belonged to her and he knew she belonged to him. _Bound_. They were bound to each other.


	19. Eavesdropping

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own Draco or Hermione...nor anything else that is definately Rowling's stuff...

**Author's note**: I'm really **sorry that it took me so long to post this chapter, but unfortunately I had **a little basketball accident** and now my right hand is completely bandaged. For someone who is used to typing with 10 fingers and who is actually right handed...it is pretty hard to type anything with only your left hand. This might also function as an excuse for the spelling mistakes... okay...oh, and this chapter is ****not betaread, as I was so late with my update I wanted to get it out as soon as possible and Exlibris is learning for her finals that's why I didn't want to bother her.**

There won't be much action in the following chapter, but there will be in the next one. And I know that nothing new stuff happens in it, but it's only part one and if I get part two fixed till Friday there will be more action and I really needed this part to make sure that Draco and Hermione don't fall for each other head over heals in real life. Don't be angry with me if things go so slow, but tell me whether you like this chapter or not and why.

Oh, and **krisleigh**, you really got the idea with the ring…I hope it wasn't too obvious.

**LEXICAL MISTAKE**:  **Sailor Moon Rose** (Thank you so much for pointing that out to me! You really deserve a big big hug!) mentioned it in their review that I often use the word "**triplet**", well I use it as a verb and I thought it actually meant "**to walk very fast with tiny steps**". Can anybody give me an appropriate English word for that? Poor me, as soon as I read the review it dawned on me. I'm sorry, **I didn't check it in the dictionary, I simply used it (my poor students...I always tell them to check if they aren't sure)...anyways, it was a false friend originating from the word "trippeln."**

Enjoy reading this chapter and please be kind and leave a review...criticism is always welcome. 

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 17**

**Eavesdropping **

***

Draco was still bathing in the warm light holding Hermione tightly. All his senses seemed  to be dislocated, no, they were simply directed to only one thought: her. Her smell, her hair, her warmth, her body so close to his. The annoying voice in his mind had little by little died down and know he nearly seemed to drown in her presence. His whole being surrendered to her. "Hermione." he whispered her name with awe for the first time in his life.

***

So secure. So safe and warm and comfortable. Hermione cradled herself closer to Draco's chest. She could feel his heart beat and his hot breath on her bare skin. She didn't care anymore that he was a deatheater. It was right to be with him, to be near him. She could hear him gently whisper her name and she raised her head to look straight into his eyes. Draco. She had never felt like this before. Her heart, her soul and her entire being longed to be with him, to never let go of him again. 

His usually cold grey eyes held a warmth gaze as they looked down on her and she could feel that he longed to taste her.

***

Her brown eyes were locked with his. She was so innocent, so pure and clean. His heart skipped a beat as he lost himself inside her soul. He wondered what her lips would taste like, those beautiful and unique rosy lips of hers.

Automatically his hand moved towards her face and he touched her cheek ever so lightly as a butterfly. Soft and warm. He tenderly tucked a loose strand of her chocolate hair behind her ear and he couldn't help but bending down to touch her lips with his.

Suddenly something tore him away from her and he felt her drift away with horrid speed. Draco stretched his arms out and tried to reach for Hermione, yet, there was nothing he could do but desperately watch her disappear. And although he couldn't hear her do it, she seemed to scream his name in fear.

The warm light was gone all of a sudden and he saw himself soaring high above the earth. His eyes searched for a sign of Hermione, but he couldn't see her anywhere. Under him there was a green meadow and a forest which both seemed to be familiar to him. Then he felt himself being drawn away from there and he found himself surrounded by darkness.

***

Draco woke up in the pitch darkness of the guest room. He slowly opened his eyes and it took him a few seconds in the pitch darkness before he realised where he actually was. Hermione. The memory of the dream was burnt into his mind. He searched for his wand in the dark and grabbing it he muttered "Lumos." Instantly the wand spread its light in the room and Draco got up. His mind and thought were still occupied with this weird dream of his. It had felt so real. He looked at his hands with disgust. He had _touched the mudblood. He had even been about to _kiss_ her. Draco's eyes narrowed as he remembered those scenes vividly. __Hermione. He hated her and yet he couldn't stop thinking of her and something inside him dreadfully wanted to go find her. To search for her and to take her back into his arms. What was that what he felt? "That filthy mudblood." mumbled Draco with a shudder, but in the same moment he had made the decision to go get his broom and to fly out into the country. He knew she would be somewhere near that meadow and that forest where he had lost her in his dreams. _Lost_ her? How did it come he thought of losing her? Hadn't he wanted to get rid of her? Draco cursed, but stormed out of the room to get to the broom shed. _

***

Slowly Hermione opened her eyes. The hut was dimly lit by a fire, which was still burning in the little fireplace in the corner of the cabin. Where were Harry and Ron? Hermione seemed to be completely alone. Nevertheless, she didn't care at the moment where to the two boys had possibly vanished. Her thoughts wandered around Draco Malfoy. She shut her eyes again and recalled the dream. He had touched her cheek. Her fingers caressed the spot where his hand had caressed her face. Malfoy that bloody deatheater bastard! Hermione scolded herself instantly for even thinking kindly of that piece of shit. It had been a dream. A gory and entirely horrible nightmare. She winced. Malfoy. No, Draco. She sighed, but couldn't get him or the way he had looked at her out of her head. 

*******

Draco tried to calm down while silently running through the hallways of Malfoy Manor. He was nervos and he was angry. However, worries and doubt kept nagging inside of him and his thoughts didn't cease to spin around the girl of his dreams. What might have happened to Hermione? He couldn't even think of her as "Granger" anymore, somehow he felt himself being quite attached to this mudblood. Too attached, but he couldn't help it and he didn't even want to. 

He was about to pass his father's study on his way out, but he noticed that the door was left slightly open and he could hear two people having a conversation. He slowed down and actually wanted to just walk on by when he accidentally eavesdropped his own name. Curiously he leaned in closer and peeped through the opening into the room. 

The Dark Lord and Dumbledore were both sitting in front of the fireplace with their backs facing the door, but there was no mistaking those to men.

"So, has Dobby returned then?" Voldemort sounded a bit annoyed.

"Yes, he has, my Lord. And the Granger girl is out of the way now, I have taken care of that." 

"Then you think the young Mr. Malfoy will do what we expect him to do?"

"Of course. He's young and he thinks he's in charge of everything that happens. Besides, the spell I cast will make sure he can't help but searching for her."

"You have to hurry, Dumbledore, I need my heir as soon as possible." the Dark Lord's voice was filled with concern.

"I know." replied the headmaster with  a little smile on his lips. "I know."

Draco held his breath. What the hell were those two bastards talking about? A spell?  A heir for the Dark Lord? What the fuck was this all about? He dared no longer stay near the study, so he continued to hurry down to the broom shed. Whatever had been going on in the Manor since Hermione had arrived, Draco was certainly part of it without even realizing itself until now. Different thoughts raced through his mind, but one kept popping up almost every split second. _Hermione_. He had to get to her, talk to her. Maybe he could figure out what was going on with a little help from her. 


	20. A big thank you Author's note

**A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL MY REVIEWERS!**

**In chronological order: **

**Deese-Rouge-Cheveux** : I know that many other stories which are really great and far better than mine are a bit neglected. **I might appear to be a little, well, conceited, because I never really thank my reviewers in the author's notes,** but I just don't have the time. So a big thank you for you that you gave me the idea to write a big thank you. You see, I went through a stage in which I really was addicted to the reviews I got and I begged for more…now I realized that that's silly. **I'm happy and proud of the reviews (and I still get up early every morning to check on them…)**, but I thought it isn't decent to beg for more…

**Piperkeen** : I checked **the link you posted**…it doesn't work, maybe you can post another one in your next review…would be a good reason to post one, hm? But if there's anything else you want to let me know about my story…feel free to do so.

**krisleigh** : You are one of my most active reviewers….I'm really thankful that you remind me to be original…and btw: don't feel too safe, I mean, **it's a Draco/Hermione story, it was quite obvious he had to go after her, hm? But do you know what happens next?**

**Crazy_Poet**: Hm, I loved that you put me on your favorite list, that feels so good you know. And I love your reviews…as krisleigh and Dreaming One you're always there and I appreciate that a lot. Keep Going…and **when are you going to update your fanfic?**

**Dreaming One: **Hm, I feel a little embarrassed writing a thank you for you, because you are the reviewer who really posts a lot of constructive criticism. I adjust my chapters a bit to that and I think it helps to improve my style of writing, I wish you woud have agreed to be my beta reader. Nevertheless I'm waiting for your reviews, they tell me if I was a good boy. J

**tom4eva**: Thank you for every review you posted, I do hope you won't stop to read the next chapters…**there will be definitely more chapters than I promised in my last author's note**.

**dri**: no offence taken…spelling mistakes happen, after all, we're just human…at least I know for sure that I am. J

**Rowlingfan1**: Man, I liked that review…. J Really. Well, don't you want to review more?

**Slim-Shady's-Modeling-Baby: **I update just for you, baby. *g*

**Katieshaz: **Uhm, I guess you're one of the reader's that were there when I started this story. **Thank you for posting reviews, that's what reminds me to finish the story every time that I wanted to give up on it.**

**Morguish: **I don't know if you still read this story, but if you do, why don't you post reviews any more?

**soul**: Same for you as for Morguish…are you still out there?

**Smashing Sugar**: thank you for encouraging me…I was down and you made me soar high up in the sky again…because you told me my English isn't horrible.

**Sailor Moon Rose: **Thank you for the roses…I love roses. J

**Meiling Son**: Thank you for that compliment, you see, I'm never sure about my English. **I'll move to England in September **to teach at a very Hogwarts like school near Settle**. I hope I can improve my command of this beautiful language when I work there.**

**Exlibris: **You know that I always appreciate your criticism.

Okay, another big thank you for all of you who told me that they story was great, that they loved it and thought it was brilliant: **ash, pixie queen, Fireblade, kittydopter, neda, sapphire, some1, Mli (my first reviewer ever), Chick Vicious, LilyEvansPotterBlackLupin, Sky Goddess 87, Fleur, Midnight Raven, Lycr, Garden Gnome, JC, Kou Shun'u, marchione, ****Cherry Blossom Sakura, PurpleYin, Melly, lucy, ****blackdragonofdeath13, grlEgrlE, Camiona, Leika Senara, musicalchick, ****godsgurl98, SquorpionLady, Arafel, Mandi, Amanda, Koloris, Tiani, bluey, Mystical Ring, Preciousgirl , Annabelle, sexykitten, moggy, Gryffindor_rules **

**All your reviews mean so much to me…I don't know, it just makes my stomach squirm and gives me a warm feeling.**

**NEVER STOP REVIEWING!**

**The next chapter will be out on Saturday,**

**Love,**

**liar******


	21. A Truce!

**DISCLAIMER**: I'm not J.K. Rowling so I can't claim ownership to anything that's related to Harry Potter, although I the plot of the following story belongs to me. Oh, and don't even bother to sue me, I don't own a house, nor a car or anything else that might be considered valuable.

**Author's note**: **Dreaming One said that ****Draco acted a little stupid in the last chapter, because he didn't understand what Voldemort and Dumbledore were up to when he overheard their conversation. Well, he's under a spell, right? And he's far too confused to get it. And to **the heir plot**...well, I try to be original and the heir will be someone you wouldn't dream of...not in your worst nightmare! J**

Oh and I still have problems with the word **triplet...some people told me I might mean ****tiptoed...thank you very much for that suggestion, but that wasn't what I had in mind...I didn't want them to walk silently, but, well, with hurried little steps that don't have to be silent...*sighs* I'll ask a native speaker on Thursday, she'll probably be able to tell me.**

Now on with the story, I hope you have fun reading it...if so, please tell me...if not, please tell me either. **Flame and criticise me baby!**

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 18**

**A Truce!**

***

Draco flew high up in the sky on his new  Firebolt 2003. It was still dark out there, only the moon cast a feeble light to illuminate the small world that peacefully slept beyond. There were still a few hours left till the crack of dawn, enough time to find her. A chilly breeze ruffled through Draco's blond hair and he clutched his black robes tighter to feel warmer. Draco couldn't stop thinking about the conversation he had overheard only minutes ago. A spell...a heir...what the fuck was this all about? And why was this stupid mudblood part of this? And what about himself? He cursed silently and speed up. He needed to find that meadow and the forest he had seen in his dream...the dreams...why did he have those silly dreams about Granger? At the memory of his dream he felt his stomach do a little flip flop. Hermione, he had felt so damn comfortable and cozy holding her in his arms. And her lips..he actually had been about to kiss her...Draco sighed. On the one hand he felt absolutely disgusted at the thought of being near Hermione and on the other hand he couldn't help thinking about those dreams...and how he had felt being so close to her. 

It seemed to take him ages, but  by chance he finally reached a little paddock that looked exactly like the one he had memorised and the forest nearby fit into the picture perfectly. Draco leant slightly forward and his broom reacted to his gentle movement by decreasing its

speed and going into a slow dive. There! Smoke was coming from somewhere in between the trees and Draco knew she would be there. With relief he flew closer and elegantly landed right in front of a little, shabby hut.

***

Quietly Draco walked over to a small window next to the door and peered inside. The hut was dimly lit by a sizzling fire and he could see there was a table, chairs and shelves on the walls. Nobody was in there, but he caught sight of  a small figure lying in a bed in the far corner of the cabin. Hermione. He was absolutely sure it was her. Without making a noise he turned to the door and pushed down the handle. He had expected the door to be locked, but to his surprise it easily gave way and opened. Draco slipped inside closing the door behind him and was overwhelmed by the sudden warmth that welcomed him in the hut. 

***

Hermione had been awake for quite a time now, but hadn't bothered to get up. She was so relieved to be out of the Manor that her body finally took over and got itself the break it had yearned for so long. Her mind was still trailing off to the dream she had. Draco. Sleepily she closed her eyes, but instantly they shot open when she heard the faint creak of the door open. Harry and Ron? Hermione slowly turned her head to see if her best friends had returned from wherever they had disappeared to before, but she couldn't believe what she saw.

Draco Malfoy was standing in the hut, glued to the spot as his eyes met hers. 

***

Hermione sat up, startled. "You?" she asked in utter disbelief.

Draco simply stood there taking in her entire being. The look of her dishevelled, bushy hair, the way she moved her hands across the covers, her wide eyed gaze and her stunned, pale face. He scolded himself for giving in to this strange emotions he had and focused on Hermione's eyes. "Happy to see me, then, I guess." he stated dryly. 

Meanwhile Hermione had gotten up and now stood shakily in front of him. She had no wand. Ron and Harry were both absent. Her only chance was to keep him busy and to fight him until the two would return. There was no way she would go back to Malfoy Manor with this bloody deatheater bastard. She took a deep breath and faced him. He still wore his silk pyjamas under the black robes and he looked a little distracted and nervous.

"I won't return to the Manor with you, Malfoy!"

"Who says I would take you back with me?" Draco's eyes narrowed. God, this mudblood was annoying. 

"Then what do you want? How did you find me anyways? I thought you might be glad to get rid of me." Hermione replied imitating his usual sneer.

At this Draco looked a little queer and he paused before he finally said "I had a dream. There was you and I and," he hesitated for a second "I felt you are here."

A dream? Hermione's face changed to a startled expression and she came nearer to where Draco stood. She had never intended to go near him, but something inside her seemed to push her towards him and she even felt as if his presence alone pulled her to him. 

There was it again. Vanilla and Honey. As Hermione stepped closer he could take in the familiar smell again. 

Then something inside of him takes over and before he can stop himself he takes her in his arms. For a second she stiffens, but her body relaxes immediately and she melts into him. She buries her head in the crouch of his shoulder and he can sense her tantalising warmth. Draco closes his eyes and just holds her. As in her dream Hermione feels secure and safe being in her enemy's arms. She presses herself against his firm chest and lets herself drown in his presence. It feels so right.

Suddenly Draco realised that something was wrong. The spell. Awkwardly he let go off Hermione and stepped back. She looked him confused but didn't say a word. Clearing his throat he turned around and paced up and down. It was hard for him to tell her about the conversation he had overheard. Draco Malfoy surely wasn't used to working together with mudbloods, even worse, with Hermione Granger and what was even more disturbing was the fact that he had spent the last 5 minutes holding her in his arms with the weirdest kind of emotions known to him. Or, better said, unknown to him. Nevertheless, he argued with himself and came to the conclusion that there was no way he couldn't tell her. After all, he had already gone after her and found her. At the moment she was the only person he could trust and he simply knew that the conversation and maybe even this spell they were talking about concerned her as well as himself. 

***

Hermione Granger watched her enemy and fiancé walk up and down for several moments. This was the strangest thing that had ever happened to her. She had expected everything and anything but certainly not the he would take her in his arms and, well, that she loved to be so close to him. 

She was lost in thought when Draco turned to face her again and jumped a little as she heard him say "There's something I can only trust you with, Hermione." His voice sounded concerned and tense. Hermione didn't know what to make out of that, so she sat down on the bed and waited silently until Draco had told her about the odd conversation he had overheard at the Manor.

Exhausted he finally sat down next to her, his head in his hands. 

"So, you're under a spell and Voldemort needs a heir?" 

"Don't be dense, Granger." he groaned. "There's been something wrong since they agreed to this fucking engagement thing. I just didn't see it back then."

"Hm." Hermione lowered her eyes. This wasn't actually her problem anymore. She wasn't a captive anymore and Draco Malfoy didn't seem to be in the mood to drag her back to Voldemort anytime soon, but somehow she couldn't help worrying about Draco. He looked exhausted and worn out. 

He looked up and the movement made her look straight into his clouded grey eyes. For a second she lost herself in these deep pools, the mirror of your soul as it is said, and so did he as he dived into her deep, warm brown eyes. As in slow-motion Draco lent forward and then he could feel her soft red lips against his. She tasted sweet and familiar and so good. 

***

Did she just kiss Draco Malfoy? But this thought didn't bother her long. Her whole body took in his kiss, his lips gently pressed against hers and she could feel his tongue sliding along her bottom lip. Warmth spread through her and she was aware of a pleasant, tingling feeling as she opened her mouth and they both deepened their kiss. It felt like coming home. 

***

The door flew open with a loud bang. Draco and Hermione broke apart instantly.

"Get off of her!" No other then Harry Potter stood in the doorway, his wand pointed directly at Draco Malfoy. "How dare you touch her?" he hissed and motioned Draco to stand up.

"Out!"

Draco slowly got up, but Hermione was faster than him. She was relieved that Harry was back. If Voldemort was still after them and obviously had an malicious plan in mind they would need his help. However, she was deeply embarrassed at the same time. She and Draco had silently agreed on a truce and now Harry had walked in on them kissing. There was no way she could leave Malfoy, something deep inside her heart couldn't let anything happen to him despite her mind constantly telling her that she should actually loath this bloody deatheater standing by her side.

"Harry, no! Let me explain..." Hermione looked into Harry's emerald eyes and stopped midsentence.  

"Crucio!" muttered Harry Potter coldly and the spell hit its aim perfectly. 

Hermione broke down on the floor, her entire body seemed to be on fire with unbearable pain. 


	22. So this is who I am

**DISCLAIMER**: An optimist is a person who doesn't own Harry Potter, but still summons enough courage and love to start to write fanfiction with those characters who do not belong to anybody but J.K. Rowling.

**Author's note:** I'm sorry that it took me so long to update after this nasty cliffy, but in my defence I have to admit that **I hardly got reviews for my last chapter. **I thank those who reviewed** because the next chapter is for you, you keep me going. During the last week, ****I really thought about stopping to write this story, because I had so many ideas for new stories in my mind and ****I'm not really sure whether people are still interested in this story. Well. I don't know. Some of you (like Draco Improbus) seem to be more interested in **the fact that a guy could be writing fanfiction**. Especially Draco and Hermione fluff. You know what? This is nothing out of the ordinary. There are black writers (like James Baldwin) who write novels in which not a single character is black. There are men who write fluffy love stories and romances (like Shakespeare...just think of Romeo and Juliet or Othello or The Tempest) and there are women who write and choose the perspective of a male. ****You only think that this is extraordinary, because you're not used to it and not aware of it...but don't you think there are guys out there who wish they would look like Malfoy? Be like Malfoy?**

Btw: **Exlibris **(thank you very much for betareading this story and giving me the support I need) pointed out that in those fluff scenes **Draco and Hermione are nearly thinking the same. She didn't like that. Well, nobody else complained about it (well, maybe you were just too lazy to do that or too annoyed, whatever), but I thought I better explain it a bit here...their love is something magical, and there's a reason why they have similar thoughts. I just don't want to give away too much...oh, and ****do you still think this story is predictable?**

**Sorry, **if the following chapter is a bit boring, but, hmm, better than nothing, I guess...

**Please read and review... and tell me whether I should bother to go on with the story or not. **

*******

_For you I cast the clouds aside so that you can see the stars in the sky._

_For you I make the world spin until you're back with me._

_For you I'll be brighter than the light._

_For you I'll make every day last an eternity._

_For you I scream and cry and laugh and live,_

_Only for you._

_***_

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 19**

**So this is who I am**

*******

Hermione slowly opened her eyes. Again she didn't know where she was and she couldn't recall what had happened after she had been hit with the Cruciatus Curse. She had a terrible headache and wondered whether her body would be able to recover from all those bruises and spells she had suffered from during the last days and hours. 

In the distance she could see the sun rising. Dawn. She must have been unconscious for several hours. She gave a groan as the memories of the events in the hut came back flooding her mind. Kissing Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter walking on them, and then the Cruciatus Curse. She knew something had been wrong as soon as she had looked into his eyes. They weren't those sparkling deep emerald ones she  was used to, nevertheless, they were familiar...how on earth could...

"So you're finally back among the living." Hermione couldn't finish her last thought, because a well-known sneer interrupted her. Draco Malfoy was casually leaning against a tree, his arms folded across his chest and his blond hair hanging all messy in his eyes. He definitely looked worried, confused and nervous. Probably she didn't look any better in that particular moment. He was still wearing his silk pyjamas and if the situation hadn't been so strange and horrible, Hermione would have surely laughed at the sight of him. Watching Hermione intently, Draco bit his lip and tried to figure out what to tell her. His whole life had turned upside down during the last hours, and Hermione Granger was the only thing, well, person, that remained constant. She was still lying on the ground where he had put her after his terrible and hectic flight from the hut. Her hair was a real bushy mess, her clothes were dirty and her skin bruised. She looked so pale, fragile and vulnerable. 

"What happened? Where are we?" Hermione asked getting into a sitting position.

"I guess, you still remember that your precious little friend Potter hit you with that nasty spell of his."

Hermione scowled. She knew it hadn't been Harry, but wasn't sure if she should fill in Malfoy with this information, yet. Something was terribly wrong here and she had absolutely no clue whom she could trust. What if Malfoy wasn't even Malfoy? Again the memory of their kiss flooded her mind...his lips, so soft and cool. She shivered and for  seconds she fought the urge to simply close her eyes and give in to those comforting and cosy thoughts.

Draco noticed that her brown eyes had darkened as he had uttered the last sentence. Then he sighed, this mudblood made him literally go crazy. One second he wanted to kill her and the next one he worried if she was all right. 

Shaking his head as if he himself couldn't understand why he had done what he was about to tell her, he admitted "I don't know why, but I stunned Potter and got myself out of there."

"And, obviously, you took me with you. Why? Why didn't you just leave me with Harry?" she asked, but could already feel the answer inside of her heart. She could see that it took him some effort to say the next sentence and his usually pale cheeks flushed a little. 

"I couldn't leave you behind, Granger. Something was wrong. Potter would never hurt you." and after a tiny pause he added calmly "Polyjuice Potion."

Hermione nodded and an attentive observer would have noticed that she tried to hide her sadness when she said "You're right, that wasn't Harry." 

Somehow it struck Draco Malfoy that she was so depressed. Hermione was still sitting there on the mossy ground, her arms safely tucked around her knees. What the hell was it with this mudblood, why had he taken her with him anyway? He could have left her at the hut as well. Angry with himself he started to walk away from her. He would simply leave her where she was. He could take care of himself and find a way to get out this horrid situation he had gotten himself into. No, it was all her fault. He cursed, but he was merely twenty yards away when a nagging little voice began to persuade him to go back.. _You can't leave her there. She doesn't even have a wand to protect herself. _Draco Malfoy snorted, stopped and then, after a second, turned on his heels to go back to that damned mudblood. 

He came to a hold right in front of her and she looked up, her eyes locking with his. Hermione looked silently at him.

"How come you don't ask any more questions, Granger? You're not being your inquisitive know-it-all self, lately." he sneered.

"Maybe I'm not in the mood to ask you questions, Malfoy." her voice was barely audible and sounded tired.

Draco leaned over Hermione's small form crouching on the ground. 

"You're not even interested in what happened to Potter?" he smirked, his grey eyes still fixed with hers. Being so close to her and being able to smell her caused a  tingling, warm sensation to spread in his body.

"It wasn't Harry and why should I bother about what happens to someone who uses one of the unforgivable curses on me?"  

He frowned, then bent down to her and took her delicate hand in his. Oddly how good it felt to touch her.  "Hermione, I..." Draco started, but she interrupted him "So this is who we are. Associating with the archenemy. Don't you think it is ridiculous that suddenly we can't get each other out of our heads?" she pulled her hand out of his grasp and bitterness and sarcasm dripped from her words when she continued "I guess I should be thankful that you rescued me, that you saved my life when "Harry" attacked, but I don't give a damn. You are Draco Malfoy, a _deatheater_ and I'm nothing but - how do you put it?-  _a filthy mudblood. I'd never voluntary have feelings for you, Malfoy and I'm pretty sure this goes for you the other way round as well. We both must be under that spell you heard Dumbledore and Voldemort talk about."_

Draco's gaze didn't reveal his thoughts. He simply looked at her without expression and without feeling. 

"So this is who I am, hm? A deatheater who was stupid enough to associate with a mudblood because he was put under a spell, oh, let me correct that, we are _even_ engaged." His grey, stormy eyes narrowed dangerously and inside he could feel his stomach churn. He knew perfectly that Hermione was probably right, but still, it hurt that she rejected him. She watched him, her eyes searching for something in his soul, then turning cold and icy. After a while he cleared his throat and started to talk again "Then, what do you suggest I'd do now?" 

"I suggest we both return to the Manor. We have to get to Voldemort and break that spell...and we have to find out what they have in store for us. I hate to spend another minute with you, Malfoy, but I don't have a choice."

Hermione's stomach ached. She had meant every single word she had said, however, her heart hurt. She felt attached to Draco, although she didn't want to admit it. Hermione Granger wouldn't give in any further to this damn spell that was cast on her and this bloody bastard than she had already done. She kept telling herself that all those feelings were fake, something based on magic and not on emotions. She would never fall for her enemy. 

With a slow movement she pulled the ring off her finger and put it in his hand. "I don't think I have to wear this any longer."

***

Both Hermione and Draco were unaware of the pair of blue eyes that watched the two intensively as they were having their conversation. Those eyes looked content and smug; finally he would get what he had been waiting for so long. From now on he would be the centre of attention and he would be the one having the power in his hands. He smirked, then disappeared. 

***

Lucius Malfoy paced nervously up and down his son's room in a disordered manor. It had been on the brink of dawn when one of the house-elves had come to his bedroom to wake him. Both his son and that mudblood bitch had disappeared throughout the night. 

In one hand, he didn't care whether Hermione Granger was still sound and safe, but on the other hand, the fact that his son had vanished too, did bother him a lot. What would the Dark Lord say when he heard about it? 

Little did Lucius Malfoy know, that the Dark Lord already knew that Draco and Hermione were somewhere out in the country and that he already expected them to be back in the Manor before the sun would go down. 

***

_So this is who I am, _

_And this is all I know,_

_And I must choose to live,_

_For all that I can give, _

_The spark that makes the power grow._

_And I will stand for my dream if I can,_

_Symbol of my faith in who I am,_

_And I must follow on the road that lies ahead,_

_And I won't let my heart control my head,_

_[B., R. and M. Gibb]_

***

**I know this chapter sucks, but I was glad to have something written at all, **it is somehow the prologue for the next chapter and I didn't want to make you wait any longer**...please, tell me what you think about it and review...**


	23. Author's note Take 4

Just a Little Warning 

Hi my dear readers and reviewers. This is just another annoying author's note and not a new chapter. **I'm sorry**. So please don't be to angry with me, the next chapter will be up as soon as possible. 

Well, at the moment I'm afflicted by **a major writer's block**. I don't know what to write and everything I type seems just weird and ridiculous and it doesn't make sense.  I'm sorry that I threatened to give up on this story, but that was the way I felt and I'm glad that some of you want me to go on with it.

Besides, I got some really encouraging [weird and funny in case you missed the irony] **reviews**: (I won't name the people who wrote these things, I just didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read them…I mean, somehow I actually liked these strange reviews, I don't know why, but, hey, they have a point…so maybe you'd like to read some examples)

for example:

"this wasn't as boring as I expected it to be"

"I never did think to review"

"This chapter didn't suck...that much. I liked it... I mean it WAS better than nothing..." (this is definitely my favourite *g*)

"I don't mind that this chapter was not that great. It just had to be written."

Nevertheless, I thank all of you who reviewed. I love reading reviews. :)

So, hm, I apologize that there's not another chapter so far, but I'll post this author's note and I swear, I'll start writing right away after that's done. **If you have any suggestions how the story should go on** (anything that might help me to get over my writer's block) **then feel free to send me an email or state it in a review.  **But I need detailed suggestions not just things like "More D/H action"….that's not really helpful. 

Okay. This is a horrible note. Jezz, I cannot even write a decent note anymore…


	24. Memories

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own them – no need to sue me!

**Author's note:** Here we go. Thanks to all those who encouraged me to go on. Special thanks to **Exlibris** (my ever so faithful beta) and to **Crazy-Poet** who gave me the idea for the following chapter. There's not much action in it, but it focuses a bit on the things happening before Hermione got caught by the deatheaters. So enjoy reading it and send me reviews. If you've got any useful suggestions how to continue with this story, please let me know, otherwise I can post the final chapter right away. *hopefully this threat works and I get loads of reviews*

***

And Then We Were Defeated 

**Chapter 20**

**Memories**

***

Hermione buttoned her robes and then tried to get rid of the tiny bits of earth and dirt that stuck to it because she had been lying on the ground. She couldn't forget those piercing blue eyes she had seen in the hut. At first she hadn't want to believe it, but now she had come to the conclusion that she had to find out what had happened to Harry and Ron – were they both still alive? And what was even more disturbing, she felt so weird near Draco. Sighing she then started to walk briskly in front of him, who reluctantly followed her through the forest and the clearings, lost in his own thoughts.

***

While making her way through the thicket avoiding the little tracks not to be caught by any of Voldemort's followers Hermione's thoughts trailed of and she recalled the past months of her life. 

It had been a shock when she suddenly had found out that Dumbledore, the man she had trusted as much as she had relied on Harry and Ron, had betrayed them. He had been on the dark side even before Harry had been born. She shuddered as she remembered all the times he had lied to them, pretended to like them, to help and protect them. They had been too naïve to notice the gradual changes in his behaviour in their forth year after Voldemort had returned. 

Everything had happened so fast. And obviously now it had happened again. One moment they had been all sound and safe in Hogwarts, enjoying their lives and worrying about Snape taking points from their houses and the next they had been thrown into a wizarding war that killed not only their best friends and families but thousands of innocent Muggles as well.

Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws along with some Slytherins that had refused to join the Dark Lord had then had to face Voldemort's steadily  growing army of deatheaters. Soon, they had been outnumbered. The deatheaters didn't have scruples to use the unforgivable curses on any wizard or witch that wasn't worshipping the Dark Lord so far. Basically everybody lived in fear. 

Now the rebels were reduced to small groups that now and then attacked the deatheaters in a guerrilla like war, but Voldemort was constantly gaining power with the help of Dumbledore. Harry, Sirius, Remus and all the others that fought so bravely for their freedom, but they barely stood a chance. 

Hermione winced as all those memories of battles came back to her mind. Those images of friends whose bruised, dead bodies lay scattered on the ground. Blood, so much blood. And it was all his fault. 

Angrily she snapped out of these horrible scenes that had held her mind prisoner when she heard Malfoy cursing behind her.

***

Why had he left his goddamn broom in the hut? Well, he'd picked up that bloody mudblood and his precious Firebolt had been left behind. And Potter, he had run away as if he was a coward only because of Granger. Why did he care about this mudblood anyway? At this thought he cursed loudly. To his utter amazement Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, turned around and snorted: "Watch it, Malfoy. Nobody forces you to come with me."

"You're going back to MY home. I don't come with you, we just happen to have the same way to go, Granger."

She eyed him suspiciously. "Stop bickering, Draco Malfoy."

"I don't take orders from a Mudblood." He took a step closer to her and raised his fist to struck her square in the face, but before he could even do as much as swing his arm back, his eyes met hers. Fear flickered in them, but she didn't back away or try to protect herself from him.

"So you're back to beating me, hm?"

Was there a tinge of  sadness that  he could hear in her words?

"Fine, Malfoy, go ahead. I like your nasty deatheater-self better than..." Hermione's voice died down and blushing she cast her eyes down on the ground. 

Hermione was angry at herself. This was Draco Malfoy, one of those deatheaters who caused her friends' deaths and she paled. 

Slowly Draco releaxed. What had she been about to say? Did this Mudblood happen to like him? His stomach squirmed. He had kissed her. He had touched her lips with his only a few hours ago. He had kissed that filth and...and he had enjoyed it. Nervously he slid his hands in his pockets and there he touched something cold and solid. The ring. She had rejected him. Anger welled up in him. For a second he lost himself in her presence, his hatred and irritation reflected by her sadness. Then Hermione turned and they continued their way to Malfoy Manor in silence. 

***

 Draco watched her walking in front of him. Hermione had changed a lot since the time they both had been attending Hogwarts. Back then she had been the annoying know-it-all bookworm with bushy hair. Well, her hair was still a mess, but she had lost her know-it-all attitude. From the moment he had seen her in the dungeons in Malfoy Manor he had known she had changed completely. He could sense that she felt sad and that she probably had seen more than a human being could bear to view. The war was cruel, even he had to admit that. He had enjoyed every second when he had beat her in the cell, when she had for once to submit herself to him. She had always been the teachers' pet. He had spent hundreds of nights imagining what he would do to her if he only got the chance…he had hated her. _Had_ hated her? He still _did_ hate her, didn't he? The insufferable Mudblood. Nevertheless, he had kissed her. And he had enjoyed the kiss. Hell, what was he thinking about? 

Draco scowled and tried to busy himself making plans as to what to do as soon as they would reach the Manor, but somehow his eyes involuntarily flickered back to the girl in front of him.

***

Hermione was exhausted. The bruises on her body hurt and she began to suffer from the aftermath of the Cruciatus Curse. She couldn't make another step, she had to sit down under one of the trees. Just for a second, until the pain would subside…but would the pain she felt in her heart ever die?

Unsurely she looked at Draco. He had stopped next to her and sat down beside her. For an instant she wished Harry would be with her. He would take her hand and comfort her. She wouldn't have to feel so lonely then...and so afraid and hurt. Hermione Granger didn't show it, but she was more frightened and scared then she had ever been before in her life. But did that matter anymore? She sighed, if her worst nightmare was to come true she wouldn't want to live any longer anyway.

Draco watched the girl beside him intently out of the corners of his eyes. Probably she wondered about the future as much as he did. Although she hid her fear nearly perfectly he knew she was afraid. He himself could feel fear creeping up inside him and then, without thinking about it, he reached out and took her hand in his. 

Hermione looked up, startled. Was this Draco Malfoy holding her hand? The last time he'd done that he had slipped the ring on her finger. He didn't look at her, but didn't let go of her hand either. At that moment she realized that there were only the two of them left. Harry wasn't here to support her. Maybe she wouldn't even live long enough to see the sun set again. What did it matter that she hated him? Draco Malfoy was her only ally, the only one she could trust anymore at that particular moment. Thankfully she squeezed his hand, holding on to him. 

It surprised him a lot as he felt her warm hand in his responding to his touch. A tiny smile, not his usual smirk, found its way to his lips. 


	25. And Then They Were Defeated I

**DISCLAIMER**: Don't sue me and I won't sue you. Is that a deal?

**Author's note**: Here we go. I actually intended the following chapter to be the beginning of the very last chapter of this story, but then I made another decision. Think of it as a kind of **prelude to the very end, which will be the beginning of the real romance. I finally have found my love for this story again and decided that ****there will be a sequel. I know that it is a pretty short chapter, but I thought you've waited so long for an update that I give this to you as a kind of prelude to the next chapter. **

Maybe I'll manage to write it this weekend (as I have off until Tuesday and there are holidays here anyway), however, I cannot make a promise, you see. 

Okay, thank you very much for reading this is awfully long note and now please go on reading the story and **it would be sooooooo great if you could leave a review. **

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 21**

**And Then They Were Defeated I**

***

It seemed to take them hours, but finally they reached the gates of Malfoy Manor. They stopped and hid in the bushes, unsure of which steps to take next. 

"How do we get in? I mean, we cannot just walk up to the front door and say 'hi', can we?" Hermione wanted to know and looked questioningly at Draco, who was standing right beside her. He was about to launch an answer when the iron gates suddenly opened. Obviously they were supposed to enter.

"Well, I think, they are already waiting for us. No need to hide, Granger. We better get it over with. " his voice sounded stern and serious and he didn't look at Hermione. He simply took a step forward and started to walk towards his home. Sighing, Hermione followed. She didn't like this the least bit, but she didn't have a choice. 

Only 3 days ago, she would have never thought she would voluntarily walk up to Voldemort. Well, of course she had imagined what it would be like to storm into his throne room and to blast him into smithereens, but she had certainly never expected that she would end up like this, wandless and with Draco Malfoy by her side. If only Harry knew...but what _if_ he knew? Or if he was already dead? Her emotions had changed from defeated to hopeless, suicidal and hating in a couple of hours and now it seemed as if she had given up. All she wanted now was to find out the truth, she had to know for sure even if it meant that she had to die. 

***

It took them a few minutes to reach the front door, which opened just as magically as did the gates and Draco led her in. He knew where they had to go. _They_ would await them in his father's study. Draco simply felt that everything would come to an end there. 

Hermione entered the study behind Draco and immediately was aware of the presence of several people. Nevertheless, the two were greeted with silence. 

Severus Snape was there, next to Voldemort and Dumbeldore. They had apparently been waiting for their arrival as Draco and Hermione had expected, because none of them looked the least surprised. Hermione raised an eyebrow and again  looked questioningly at Draco, but he only shook his head and motioned for her to follow him as he made his way towards the fire place. Their former potions professor kept his eyes cast on the floor and avoided to look at them. 

"What's that all about?" Hermione whispered to Draco. The situation was more than only weird and strange. She, and Draco probably as well, hadn't dreamt of getting this easily inside the Manor. Hermione had expected to be cursed and hexed as soon as she'd try to enter Voldemort's residence, or well, at least she'd thought to be treated like a captive. 

Draco shrugged. He looked sinister and Hermione now knew for sure he felt the same. Hermione had actually thought that there was no way things could go worse now, but she was wrong. 

The door to the study opened and another person entered the scene, a content smile on his lips. 

"Ron." Hermione whispered. 

Her worst nightmare had come true. 


	26. And Then They Were Defeated II

**DISCLAIMER**: Well, I have not updated for weeks, but do you really think that I have had enough time to earn so much money with my poorly paid teaching job that I could afford to buy any copy rights?

**Author's note**: I'm so sorry that I didn't update earlier, but first of all I didn't know how to end this part of the story and then it took me some time to decide on which character to kill and then there was the release of the Order of the Phoenix and after that there were finals and I literally went crazy correcting  thousands of papers in only two weeks. Then I caught a horrible cold and actually thought about letting this story go on (and on and on), but fortunately I came back to my senses.

This story ends with this chapter. I apologize for the tiny flaw that is in this chapter (for all those of you who spotted it, tell me about it in your review), but let's say we had an **unreliable narrator in one of the previous chapters** to smooth that one over, all right? 

BUT if you're not tired of my writing than you can prepare for **the ultimate sequel to this story**. I'm also sorry that there wasn't that much Romance in this story as I actually thought at the beginning, but well, that's the way the cookies crumble…the sequel will be full of **Romance and Humour, **sobe prepared for that one, I don't know yet how to name it, but I'm sure you'll find it if you want to read it and the **first chapters will be posted by Friday or Saturday. **

So far, so good. I also want to thank my loyal beta-reader Exlibris for reading my chapters in advance and for correcting spelling mistakes and errors…btw. this chapter is not beta read and as my new notebook doesn't have the software for the British English spell check there might be thousands of mistakes in this one. Please be kind and ignore them. Thank you.

Oh, and a big big **THANK YOU** note goes out to all those who reviewed this wonderful story of mine and who even put me on their favourites lists…that is sooo cute and **I love you all** (Quote belongs to M. Jackson. Please don't sue me, I won't have any money left anyway after Mrs. Rowling's lawyers are done with me). **Please never stop reviewing, I truly am addicted to your reviews and can't live without them anymore. **

And I actually admire all those of you who never quit standing by my side whatever spelling mistakes, flaws, errors and wrong grammar might have crossed our ways. Thank you. *bows humbly and ducks in case someone decides to throw tomatoes* 

Okay, I have to admit that this chapter is more like a draft, you see, there are some loose ends and I don't know whether you'll like it or not, but if you are satisfied with it, then I'm happy and I'm going to post it straight away, because I do not want to keep you waiting any longer. (But if it really sucks I'm going to rewrite it to get rid of all the flaws in it….you know).

**I guess a lot of people won't like the following chapter due to some things happening in it and Ron being all evil…but, well. As I said, there will be a sequel, although I don't tell you who is going to be still alive in this sequel and I'll also work out a companion fic in which we will get Harry's story and then there will be a wizarding-war fiction, in which you will be told about some minor details…but I'll only write those if you are interested in reading them.**

***

**And Then We Were Defeated**

**Chapter 22**

**And then they were defeated II**

***

Nobody seemed to notice the tall figure standing hidden by the shadows in one corner of the room. Lucius Malfoy kept a watchful eye on what was going on his study between his only son, the mudblood, and all the others assembled before Voldemort. Apparently things would start to get more interesting now that Arthur Weasley's youngest son had entered the stage. Lucius had to suppress a snort at the sight of the young boy who was not older than Draco and surely not good enough to be in the same room as him or the Dark Lord.  The mudblood was rather shocked to see her beloved little pureblood friend standing there in the doorway and although she kept her face a stony mask, her eyes betrayed her and showed how taken aback she really was. 

***

There in the doorway stood none other than Ron Weasley. Hermione thought she would die that instant. Ron Weasley. There was no mistaken him. The fiery red hair, his eyes, his smile. The thought that someone might have used Polyjuice Potion to copy his outer appearance didn't even cross Hermione's mind. This was the one and only Ron Weasley. 

For second Hermione closed her eyes, remembering how it used to be when they still had been friends. Or, well, when she still had believed he was their friend. She had trusted him, felt secure with him and he had betrayed them all the time. He and Dumbledore. She swallowed hard, but didn't look away. Whatever was to come she would face it and she would give neither Voldemort nor Ron the satisfaction of seeing her back down. 

Draco could feel that Hermione's body went rigid next to his, but he didn't dare look at her. Realization dawned on him as soon as the Weasley had opened the door. They had planned it all along. How could he have been so stupid? They had wanted him to rebel against his father and the Dark Lord and predictable as he was he had done exactly what they had expected him to do. That was why they hadn't killed the mudblood the instant they got hold of her, that was the reason why they hadn't told him everything, they wanted to get rid of them all at once and obviously the little Weasley had wanted to have his fun before finishing them off. Draco's hands were clutching his robes tightly, his knuckles shining white. 

Ron's smirk broadened as his gaze fell onto Malfoy's crouched figure, who could barely contain the rage building up inside him. 

"Well, well, isn't that a sight? Who would have thought that muggle-hating, pureblood scum Draco Malfoy would be engaged to Hermione Granger one day? Did you really fall for her by now or do you still uncomfortable when filth like her touches your precious robes?" Ron began and gave them an once-over. 

Hermione didn't even flinch at his words, she listened to them numbly, her mind was blank.  Draco on the other hand frowned and his usually calm face which never displayed emotions showed disgust. Disgust because of Hermione or because he associated with a mudblood or did he frown at Ron's words and his own stupidity? Not even he himself was sure about that. 

"Oh, did ickle-Dracokins lose his ability to retort with witty remarks? Or did I hit home with what I said? The second you came to her rescue out in the woods I knew you believed every single word of what we let you hear and you and your father would only be to glad as to live up to our standards." He stated this calmly, without any emotion leaking through, Voldemort, Dumbledore and Snape listening to his words without getting involved in the conversation.  

"Ron…what about Harry?" Finally, it was Hermione's voice cutting in weakly and drawing all the attention to her.  All the colour had drowned of her face and her chocolate eyes seemed even larger and darker contrasting the pale skin. Ron looked at her silently, hate filling his eyes.    

"Yeah, Harry. It's always him, isn't it? The boy who lives…or better, who accidentally survived his parent's murder. The whole world seems to be interested in his well being, no matter how many other persons die around him. If only he is alive and well off everything else isn't of any importance." His voice was bitter and sad as he said this. "What about me, Hermione? I had to achieve everything I am and have today and nobody gives a damn about me. Who cared that MY parents were slaughtered protecting Harry? I'd rather have them alive then this poor excuse for a wizard. He wouldn't come to rescue you, Hermione. It was me who read your note. ME who let you stay alive so long and how send you a note that would lead you out of the Manor. I came to your rescue and wanted you to be with me, to love and hold me, but you had to kiss Malfoy."

"Ron." Hermione whispered, her eyes locked at the boy she had thought she knew for years and yet she didn't understand a single thing about him right now. "You planned everything?"

"Did you think he would fall for you, Hermione? Do you really think someone besides me could have feelings for you?" He paused. "You are not worth any feelings, mudblood. Malfoy acted like a little puppy, we only had to put some hints and clues for him to find and he would go after them straight away. Only Dobby was as weak as you are. I actually had to threaten him to lead you out of the Manor."  

Draco watched Ron intently, he felt furious with rage, not because Ron insulted the girl standing right beside him, but because he felt humiliated and degraded himself. Slowly he let his hand slip into his pocket to take out his wand. However, before his hand came into contact with the smooth surface of his wooden wand, the touched something cool and solid. The ring. 

Ron must have seen Draco's movement, because suddenly he turned to him. "You won't need a wand, Malfoy. You're as good as dead and doing some poor magic tricks won't help you out."

Draco was about to explode, he couldn't take it any longer, but just as he was about to let go of the ring and really hex Ron Weasly straight into the next century, a small hand was placed on his arm. He turned and faced Hermione looking up at him, a pleading look on her face. "Don't." her eyes seemed to say. 

With a sigh he pulled out his hand, still clutching the silver ring. He didn't think about it, but with a swift movement he grabbed Hermione's hand and gently slipped the ring on her finger. "I think this one still belongs to you, Granger." He stated it as a simple fact, but squeezed her hand slightly reassuring her that he meant what he had done. Hermione smiled a little. She was perfectly aware of the situation they were in and she was grateful that for once she had found someone she could rely on. Funny, she thought, the person I trusted for years turned out to hate me and the one I despised for so long is now my one and only ally. 

Ron said nothing, he simply stared at the two young people standing in front of the fireplace. Then he slowly pulled out his own wand, pointing it at Hermione and Draco. 

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley." It was Dumbledore's voice cutting into the dangerous silence and interrupting the red head. Ron didn't even bother to look at him. 

"I don't take orders from a muggle-loving old fool, Dumbledore." 

Snape, who had so far been standing at the door slightly next to Ron, moved away fearfully. Without another word  Dumbledore stood up.

"Let him." The Dark Lord himself stopped both wizards whose gazes were locked with each other. "I think, it is time to end our little game, I'm getting tired of it. Weasley, take care of our two young guest."

With a triumphant glint in his eyes, Ron raised his wand. Hermione's eyes widened and she took a step back. Ron wouldn't kill her, he'd never do that. No, the Ron she knew back at Hogwarts wouldn't have done something like that…she grabbed Draco's robes and clung to them, but she wouldn't give Ron the satisfaction of begging for her life. As things were now, she was better off dead anyways. When the flash of green light illuminated the room Hermione closed her eyes. Something hit her hard in the chest and she stumbled back, still holding on to Draco when the world around her went black. 

***

Two bodies fell to the ground next to each other and lay there motionless. Who would have thought that those two, who had been arch-enemies since they knew the other one existed, would now be lying so peacefully next to each other, united by the same tragic fate. 


	27. A last Author's Note

Last but not least: A final Author's note

**Greetings!**

:) If you have managed to stick to this story and you're still alive and kicking and even reading this Author's note, then **congratulations**. 

Now, I received a lot of reviews (and flames) which asked me how I could kill Hermione and Draco. Well, folks, there is a **SEQUEL, **which implies that they can't be dead…well, at least one of them has to survive! 

The Sequel is called "Married!?" and chapter 1-3 are already out and beta-read by English native speakers. Great, isn't it?

To all those who have reviewed: **I really want to thank you for your support and for reading the entire fic and for encouraging me while writing this story. **

Hopefully, you're also going to stick around and read its sequel. 

However, I want all of you to do me a favour:

**If you review, please leave an email address**. You don't have to log in or something, just leave an email address, because sometimes I'd really love to respond to your reviews and send you an email. (This one goes particularly out to you **MERCURY**, if you read this…I'd really like to send you a private little email as response to your review)

Besides, if you leave flames, it would be great if you could sign them (and leave an email address). **I don't mind flames, I'm not offended by them. In fact, I'm rather amused and I'd really love to contact those who sent me one.** I won't reply with a howler, you know, I'd just like to talk about it…explain some things to you, discuss why you reacted the way you did and that kind of thing.

**If you're brave enough to flame an author, you should be brave enough to leave you're email address. **

I really had fun writing "And then we were defeated" and I learned a lot doing so. My current story is much better therefore, because I avoid making the same mistakes over and over again.

**Currently, I'm rewriting "And then we were defeated", because some chapters are really not that brilliant.** The very first chapter already is rewritten and much longer than the original introduction was. As soon as I've completed rewriting it, it will be all over again, not only here, but on schnoogle.com as well. 

Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience. 

liar


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